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/ CBS Miami
A new scholarship program in Miami-Dade County is offering high school seniors affected by gun violence a fresh opportunity to pursue higher education and transform their pain into a drive to succeed.
The county’s Peace and Prosperity Empowerment Through Education Scholarship provides $2,500 toward college expenses.
Open exclusively to students in their final year of high school, the initiative is designed for those impacted directly or indirectly by gun violence.
Miami-Dade officials say the program will benefit 75 students and aims to support various facets of recovery and educational empowerment in communities affected by violence.
Applicants must submit their materials by 11:59 p.m. on March 23 and funds will be applied to the university of the student’s choice.
Registration details are available at MiamiDade.gov/empowermentscholarship.
Among those benefiting is 19-year-old Sheila Cordova, who recently enrolled at Florida International University to pursue a teaching career.
Cordova, the first in her family to attend college, said her essay chronicled the loss of a close friend to gun violence—a loss that left deep physical and emotional scars.
“What I used the $2,500 for was to pay for one of my classes,” she said, emphasizing that writing about her experience helped turn her grief into motivation for change.
Another student, Debbie Campos, recounted how a stray bullet claimed the life of her best friend, a tragedy that not only affected her personally but also galvanized her to advocate for increased dialogue about gun violence in the community.
Miami-Dade County officials and community leaders believe that by addressing the impact of gun violence and supporting affected students through education, the scholarship program will help cultivate the next generation of leaders and professionals who can drive community change.
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©2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
