LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and state representatives gathered at City Hall Tuesday morning to award 30 high school graduates scholarships.
It’s part of the “Building Bridges to Opportunity” program that works to support those affected by gun violence.
The scholarships went to graduates who want to study disciplines where gun violence is addressed and graduates who have been directly or indirectly affected by gun violence.
$280,000 was split amongst 30 high school graduates as they prepare to embark on their next level of education.
The “Building Bridges to Opportunity” initiative is part of the city’s ONE Lexington program. ONE Lexington is funded through Team Kentucky’s “Everybody Counts” initiative.
Eighteen students were awarded $10,000 scholarships. These students intend to go into a career that addresses gun violence, such as social work and criminal justice.
Twelve students received skills scholarships. These students’ lives have been directly or indirectly affected by violence.
“What this scholarship opportunity has done is allowed these young people to step up and be the best version of themselves so that they can change their community for the better,” said ONE Lexington Director Devine Carama.
“It’s $10,000 to go toward my college education, which is huge! One of my biggest barriers when deciding where I was going to go was how I was going to pay for it, so I’m incredibly grateful,” said Craft Academy & Frederick Douglass High School graduate Lisa Abrampah.
Carama says what’s inspiring is that for some of these graduates, they could’ve easily given up, but he says this scholarship gives them the opportunity to be the change.
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