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Five lucky Baltimore City high school seniors on Thursday were awarded a full tuition scholarship to McDaniel College, valued at approximately $200,000.
On April 3, representatives from McDaniel College, Baltimore City Public Schools, and the CollegeBound Foundation visited the students’ schools to deliver the exciting news in person.
The surprise announcements took place at these city schools for the following students:
The scholarships were part of an initiative to support local students in their pursuit of higher education.
Since 2008, McDaniel College has partnered with the CollegeBound Foundation to provide full tuition scholarships to Baltimore City high school students. Officials say McDaniel College’s Admissions Office annually interviews students from CollegeBound Foundation-staffed Baltimore City public high schools for the scholarship.
Here’s more on the scholarship recipients:
Ranked second in his senior class at Frederick Douglass High School, Canales is a self-proclaimed nerd who was introduced to chess by his 10th-grade teacher. He is now captain of the chess team and placed fourth in the 2024 Maryland State Chess Championships. He also teaches younger students about chess through the AP Summer Academy. Additionally, he is a member of the track and cross-country programs at Douglass. Canales is part of Building STEPS (Science, Technology and Education Partnerships), which supports Baltimore City students to go into STEM careers, and he is currently completing an internship with Bank of America through his participation in Urban Alliance.
Ehke is enrolled in Poly’s AP capstone program, which is focused on growing skills in research, collaboration, and communication. Ehke is a member of the National Honor Society and historian for GSA (Genfer & Sexuality Alliance). They volunteer at the school library as a Planned Parenthood peer educator. Ehke has also participated in the MERIT Health Leadership Academy and serves on MERIT’s Leadership Council. Through MERIT, Ehke became interested in neuroscience after spending summers and Saturday’s learning about the healthcare industry through internships and research projects.
Hammond believes to grow as a person, one must try new things and be willing to be uncomfortable. At Western, she is a class officer, member of the National Honor Society and community engagement club, as well as involved with the school newspaper. An aspiring nurse, Hammond was a youth ambassador for VALUE Baltimore, helping to provide community health information and education about the COVID-19 vaccine. She also completed a paid internship as a Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (BACH) Fellow at Mercy Medical Center, where she discovered a passion for labor and delivery.
An aspiring screenwriter and filmmaker, Saunders has been involved in her school’s theatre productions. In addition to being ranked second in her senior class, she is president of the Student Government Association and an ambassador for her school. She also founded the Dungeons and Dragons club. Saunders, who enjoys writing and reading comics, completed a summer internship with CHARM: Voice of Baltimore Youth at The Ivy Bookshop. She also participated in the Beautillion-Cotillion, which includes a series of workshops and social programs, through the Baltimore alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She works part-time and is a Sunday school teacher.
Blessett is among the top 10% of her graduating class at Patterson. She is the Student Government Association class president and is involved with her school’s theater productions and school newspaper. She also plays the snare drum in the marching band. Additionally, she is a member of the tennis team and participates in the Jonathan Ogden club, named after former Baltimore Ravens Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden, which supports student-athletes with developing leadership and life skills. Blessett was elected to the Associated Student Congress of Baltimore City, a city-wide student government organization, and completed an internship with the Department of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins. She also works part-time.
Have a news tip? Contact Alexa Dikos at aadikos@sbgtv.com.
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