TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A group of parents gathered with their kindergartners Thursday afternoon inside the media center at Riley Elementary School. None of them knew why they had been asked to be there.
The families were the first recipients of a new program funded by local businesses to give one-year college scholarships to children just beginning their academic journeys.
The scholarship covers tuition at any kind of college, university or vocational school for one year.
Five local businesses and one family donated funds to make it happen.
The Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Classroom Connections program already existed, giving businesses a chance to adopt kindergarten or first-grade classrooms in town.
More good news:
According to a press release, this new initiative came from a desire from those donors to, “make a lasting impact on the students they mentor each month.”
Riley Elementary resides in the 32304 zip code, long considered one of the poorest zip codes in the state.
The families were shocked to hear the announcement from local business and school leaders Thursday. The kids were excited, confused and just happy to be receiving official certificates from Superintendent Rocky Hanna.
Yolanda Triplett is the grandmother to one of the recipients. She said her granddaughter Alayna would be the third generation in a row to go to college.
“I’m first generation and I started a little cycle in my family, so this is amazing for her,” she said.
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