This week, two organizations announced that nine APS seniors have earned full-tuition college scholarships.

Posse Scholarships
The Posse Foundation selected six seniors to receive a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to attend a partnering institution. The awards are worth more than $140,000 each.

The seniors include:

• H-B Woodlawn – Maria Farmer, Lafayette College
• Washington-Lee – Naomi Bergena, The University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Wakefield – Nahom Ayele, Bucknell University; Chinggis Amarburen, Sewanee: The University of the South; Andrea Rivera, Lafayette College
• Yorktown – Jordan Joseph, The University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Posse Foundation recruits and trains outstanding young people from urban high schools and sends them to top colleges and universities as part of supportive, multicultural teams or “Posses” of 10 students. In addition to the scholarship, students receive comprehensive programmatic support throughout their time in college. Students are nominated by either their high school counselors or a community-based organization.

Students participated in a rigorous selection process, called the Dynamic Assessment Process, from September through December. The process included three rounds of interviews. The students were then selected through collaboration between Posse staff and the partnering institutions. 

QuestBridge Scholars
Three seniors were named QuestBridge Scholars and will receive and full four-year scholarships to the nation’s most selective colleges.

• Wakefield – Jose Pomarino Nima, Columbia University
• Washington-Lee – Mignote Tadesse, Rice University; Gelila Kassa, Williams College

QuestBridge Scholars is a college and scholarship application process that helps outstanding low-income high school seniors gain admission and full four-year scholarships to the nation’s most selective colleges. Award winners are provided a scholarship that covers the cost of tuition, room and board, and require no parental contribution.

Founded in 1994, QuestBridge is a national nonprofit based that connects the nation’s most exceptional, low-income youth with leading colleges and opportunities. By working with these students — beginning in high school through college to their first job —QuestBridge aims to increase the percentage of talented low-income students attending the nation’s best colleges and to support them to achieve success in their careers and communities.