Left to right first row: Dr. Jan Irons Harris, superintendent; Sarah Moore, judge; REACH Scholarship recipients Cassidy Klitzke, Leila Morrison, Alaynah Case, Allison Richard-Goodman and Brooklyn Konrad; Dade Middle School principal Dr. Sandra Spivey. Second row Dade County Board of Education members Johnny Warren, vice-chair; Carolyn Bradford, chair; and Bob Woods, board member.
Five hard-working eighth-grade students were named as the first-ever Dade County scholars of the Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Georgia scholarship program at a signing ceremony Monday, November 18, 2019. Superintendent Jan Irons Harris, Dade Board of Education Chairwoman Carolyn Bradford, REACH Coordinator Cynthia Daniels, Dade Middle School principal Dr. Sandra Spivey, Don Townsend, Sarah Moore, supporting family members and members of the community welcomed the following cohort of students into the program during the ceremony:
Alaynah Case, Cassidy Klitzke, Allison Richard-Goodman, Brooklyn Konrad and Leila Morrison.
The students were selected by a panel of community judges: Don Townsend, Lorena Hammond and Sarah Moore. As a part of this distinguished initiative, students signed contracts pledging to maintain a certain grade point average, attend school regularly, and meet with mentors and academic coaches, all while avoiding crime, drugs and behavior issues. Parents and guardians signed contracts as well to support their students’ efforts. Students who complete the program requirements will receive a scholarship of up to $10,000 ($2,500 per year maximum) to be used toward the cost of attendance at a University System of Georgia (USG), Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) or eligible private postsecondary institution.
Justin Gargala, program associate with REACH Georgia, presented, on behalf of Governor Brian Kemp, a commendation to Dr. Harris and the Dade County School System for their commitment to promote academic success and provide access to higher education for Georgia’s academically promising students.
The commendation reads:
"Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Georgia Scholarship Program is a needs-based mentorship and college scholarship program designed to promote academic success and provide access to higher education for Georgia’s academically promising students; and with a shared commitment from the state, local communities, school systems, and mentors, REACH Georgia opens doors for students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to seek further education after high school due to financial constraints while also preparing them for the challenges of adulthood and helping them to reach their potential."
For more information about the REACH Scholarship program, please visit reachga.org.
