Savannah Classical Academy (SCA) eighth grader Khionna Edge found out she would be receiving the Georgia Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) scholarship right she was led to a school van to be taken to her contract signing Tuesday morning.
SCA’s CEO Barry Lollis had called her down to his office. “She thought she was in trouble,” he said.
Edge said she was nervous at first until she realized why she was pulled from class. “Then I got really excited,” she said.
Five other Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) students also signed their REACH scholarship contracts Tuesday on the stage of the Richard R. Mole Auditorium at Alfred E. Beach High School, 3001 Hopkins St.
REACH is a Georgia needs-based mentorship and college scholarship program that was launched in February 2012 under then-Governor Nathan Deal. Its mission, as shared at the signing by SCCPSS Chief Academic Officer Derrick Butler, is “to ensure that Georgia’s academically promising students have the academic, social, and financial support needed to graduate from high school, access college and achieve postsecondary success.”  
Students receive a $10,000 scholarship toward college so long as they maintain REACH eligibility requirements throughout the remainder of middle school and on through high school. Some of those requirements include maintaining a 2.5 grade point average (GPA), good behavior and good attendance. Students must also remain remain drug- and alcohol-free as well as commit to meeting with an assigned mentor and academic coaches throughout each year.
The district’s Gifted and Advanced Content Specialist Jennifer Rine has overseen the program for nearly three years. “One of the other things we look for on the application is first-generation college,” she said. She added that because of that fact, many REACH scholars’ parents express gratitude for the structured support for navigating college applications, federal student aid and other aspects of understanding higher education.
Rine explained that each middle or K-8 school in the district can nominate students, but there were only six scholarship recipient spots. With eight middle schools and eight K-8 schools, SCCPSS submitted 16 nominations this year.
To be eligible to apply, students first must qualify in accordance with federal income eligibility guidelines. Applicants also need to submit both an academic and community recommendation.
Rine said that application notices are sent out to all school around “mid- to late-August.” Students have roughly a month to complete applications and return them to her. She then organizes a review committee that meets together in late September or early October. The committee then uses the state’s REACH rubric to review submissions. After reviews are conducted, they are sent off to REACH administrators. Once the state certifies winners, participating school systems can then alert their students.
Rine wrote via email Tuesday that SCCPSS first participated in REACH in 2015. Based on information she was able to gather she said SCCPSS has had about 82 scholars with 36 of those having graduated thus far, but she said she would confirm with REACH.
SCCPSS and other participating districts partner with REACH to provide funds for the scholarship. School districts raise $1,000 toward each student’s total while REACH provides the other $9,000. Rine noted that students can only use the scholarship funds at Georgia Hope Scholarship-eligible colleges and universities.
School Board President Roger Moss spoke to the the scholarship recipients on Tuesday, stating how proud the district and school board was of them. He also advised that students take utmost advantage of the supports made available to them. “There will be days when you feel discouraged, find someone who will encourage you,” he said.
Five of the six students who were present on Tuesday had encouragement from their parents, who took to the stage with them.
SCCPSS’s 2024-2025 REACH Scholars are:
Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com.

source