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San Diego County high school seniors celebrated their academic achievements at a special “Senior Signing Day” event where they announced their college choices.
The 23 students, all members of the Young and Prosperous Foundation, have received close to $5 million in scholarships combined.
“Academics are just as important as athletics, so therefore we created this event to allow them to celebrate their academics,” said Muhammad.
Tamara Muhammad, president of the Young and Prosperous Foundation, explained that since 2009, the nonprofit has helped students by providing mentorship, college prep workshops, college tours and connecting them with scholarship opportunities.
For students like Kyson Hansen, the moment was particularly meaningful.
“You always see people ready to go to college and doing their signing days, but when it comes to you, it feels a lot more surreal, so definitely an experience that I won’t forget,” said Hansen.
The program has been like a second family to these students. Hansen and fellow student Khalid Hassan received several college acceptance letters from across the country and more than $1 million in scholarships.
“You won’t find a lot of programs like this, and it feels very, like, heartwarming to see… people that look like you succeeding with you,” said Hassan.
While leaving high school behind is bittersweet, the program has prepared Marcella McElvaine for the next chapter in her education.
“Just seeing all this Black excellence in the room, like growing up with these kids, it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come and where we’re gonna go,” said McElvaine.
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