On Thursday, November 10, the Coffee County School System was proud to participate in the ninth annual REACH Georgia Signing Ceremony on the campus of Coffee Middle School.
Five new REACH Scholars were selected for this great opportunity and have committed to meeting the requirements of the REACH Georgia Program. This selection will enable students to attend a HOPE-eligible post-secondary institution in Georgia, thanks to REACH. REACH was initially started in Coffee County Schools in 2014, which has given several students an opportunity to receive additional support to pursue a post-secondary education.
The following students received REACH Scholarships: Ty’Shawn Armour – Parent/Guardian: Patricia Graham and Kimberly Armour; Alexandra Lara – Parent/Guardian: Miguel Lara and Alejandra del Toro; Zyria Lindsey – Parent/Guardian: Francine Thornton; Delilah Merritt – Parent/Guardian: Dale Merritt and Fran Merritt; Chloe Underhill – Parent/Guardian: Marleny Underhill.
Representing – Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen, is a needs-based scholarship designed to ensure that Georgia’s academically promising students have the academic, social and financial support needed to graduate from high school and complete college. REACH is locally owned and operated allowing community members to have a stake in student success. REACH Georgia was launched on February 6, 2012 at Georgia Institute of Technology with the announcement of AT&T being REACH’s first corporate partner with a donation of $250,000. Today, REACH serves 180 school systems across Georgia and more than 3,600 Scholars, committing over $36 million in scholarships.
Once selected, REACH Scholars are paired with a mentor and an academic coach through high school. The student must maintain good behavior, good grades (2.5 GPA in core courses), good attendance and graduate from high school. Scholars who successfully complete the program and graduate from high school are awarded a $10,000 scholarship that can be used at any HOPE-eligible college or technical college in Georgia. Many colleges have pledged to match or double-match the scholarship amount.
During the ceremony, Randy Drew, CMS Principal, announced the names of the community partners who invested $1,000 towards the return investment of $10,000. They are Alma ATC, Ameris Bank, Douglas Rotary Club, Elixir, Hurst & Hurst CPAs LLC, Premium Peanut and Williams Institutional Foods.
Coffee County Schools is proud to be one of 180 school districts across the state that participates in the REACH Scholarship Program for their students.a