By Christopher Clymer Kurtz | Director of Development
Amy's parents loved taking the family on mini-vacations, so her dad worked extra factory hours to make them possible. It was just one of his reasons for being “very big” on education, she said in a recent interview: "If you have a good education, you can get good money and you can do these fun things," he told her.
Now Amy is one of 22 students graduating from high school as a Scholars Latino Initiative (SLI) alum. A graduate of Handley High School in Winchester, Virginia, she will attend the University of Pittsburgh this fall. Her fellow SLI alumni have also begun announcing college plans.
SLI supports Latinx high school students in Harrisonburg, Richmond, and Winchester, Virginia, through college access program opportunities and access to dual enrollment tuition assistance, computer awards, and college scholarships. For 2021 alone it has allocated $101,000 for direct student funding, building on the more than $273,000 awarded to date.
As of this fall SLI scholars will have attended 19 different colleges and universities. This year’s graduating scholars – 10 in Harrisonburg, five in Richmond, and seven in Winchester – will attend institutions such as:
In addition to providing direct financial support, SLI collaborates with local university faculty and high school teachers to offer its scholars rigorous academic challenge, leadership development, and supportive mentorships, all of which help prepare students for college.
“I am a first-generation student,” said Amy. “Lots of people think that it's just like going to school and getting good grades, but sometimes it’s about building connections.”
Her SLI mentor “really helped me a lot,” Amy said. “I didn’t really know the whole application process and I didn't know how early you should start, but she would keep texting me and reminding me.”
READ AND WATCH AMY’S INTERVIEW
With her new university experiences beginning in just weeks, Amy is looking forward to building new connections.
“I hope I have a good first day, because I'm going to be meeting a lot of people, a lot of teachers, and trying to get my way around,” she said. “But I'm excited.”
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