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Black Scholars Program Aims To Help African American Females Attend Top Colleges
Shown in front - left to right: Zhamariye Smith, Jasmine Jack- son, Jaylyn Daniels, and Zoria Telfare. Back, left to right: Hayden Murphy, Taylor Walker, Maureen Ubani, and Deja Anderson.
In January 2014, Attorney Elaine Cooper walked into an ongoing study session at her home. While she wanted to just say hello to the kids who were studying, she found herself in the middle of a discussion about scholarships and college appli- cations. The two kids visiting her child were both high school juniors.
Out of this initial interaction evolved the Black Scholars Heading To College Program. The aim of the program is to help African American high school female students in the Tampa Bay area to get accepted to top colleges which they can afford.
As part of the program, the students receive free assistance with almost all facets of the col- lege search process. The stu- dents -10th, 11th, and 12th graders - begin by researching majors. This is important be- cause some high school students have romanticized ideas about college majors.
Many students do not really appreciate what some of the ma- jors truly entail.
In addition to identifying majors, students are encouraged to consider potential colleges based on a number of factors.
Since the student is going to be in school for almost nine months out of the year, the school environment truly be- comes home. While the stu- dents are encouraged to evaluate schools carefully, each girl is encouraged to apply to multiple schools.
The girls are also provided individualized coaching with managing social media ac- counts, identifying and applying for scholarships, selecting com- munity service projects, prepar- ing for and taking standardized tests, and writing essays.
While some private compa- nies charge as much as $10,000 for similar services, the Black Scholars Heading to College Program charges no fees to its participants.
This past year, the program had nine participants. For the seniors, they were not only given help with essays, they were given information about numer- ous scholarship opportunities.
Many students do not know that top colleges are willing to fly the students to campus to visit the school, all expenses
paid. These trips, often referred to as "fly-ins," usually take place in the first semester, but the ap- plications are usually due from June to September. The girls work during the summer months to get those fly-in appli- cations completed.
The Black Scholars encour- ages the girls to visit college fairs and learn about as many col- leges as possible.
In March, the seniors started getting their admission deci- sions. During the first week alone, one of the girls got ac- cepted to four great schools on a single date - Grinnell College, Emory University, University of Notre Dame, and Bowdoin Col- lege. Later, she was also ac- cepted to the University of Pennsylvania, Amherst College, Duke University, and Scripps College. She will be attending the University of Pennsylvania on a scholarship which requires the payment of only about $5,000 out of pocket.
Hayden Murphy, a senior at Tampa Prep who was ac- cepted to Pomona College, Wellesley College, Fordham University, Florida State Uni- versity's Honors Program, Haverford College, and Occi- dental College, will attend Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City. Barnard College is a top women's liberal arts college, one of the original "female" Ivy League schools.
Jasmine Jackson, a top track student at Alonso High, was accepted to Georgia State University, Florida A & M Uni- versity, and Marquette Univer- sity. Jasmine, who aspires to become a physician, will be at- tending Xavier University of Louisiana. Prior to becoming involved with the Black Schol- ars, Jasmine had not heard about Xavier University (the only Black Catholic college), which has consistently produced more Black students who apply to and then graduate from med- ical school than any other insti- tution in the country.
In June, the members of
Black Scholars Heading To Col- lege Program embark on their third year of helping high school seniors seek admissions to col- leges which are appropriate and affordable. Some of the girls will be first generation college students.
"I see so much of myself in the predicaments of these bright, hardworking students. So prepared educationally, but needing just a little more help to make it across that threshold into the world of higher educa- tion," said Atty. Cooper.
She noted that as college graduates, there are so many talents we have that we just have not thought about ways to use these talents beyond the norm. Although high school is free, many colleges are unaffordable for so many students. More im- portantly, many students hear that there are scholarships avail- able, but the students simply cannot find out how to make those funds accessible.
Students are overwhelmed
with course work and guidance counselors are overwhelmed with students. And while the application process has changed immensely, Atty. Cooper says "those of us who attended col- leges decades ago still have more experience with the process than those who are still in high school."
In addition to Atty. Cooper, there will be two more attorneys reading essays for this year's seniors - Sheri Murphy, Esquire, and Carmen Bland, Esq. Because they realize there are so more students who can benefit from assistance than they can formally invite to par- ticipate, the local attorneys have scheduled two sessions which are open to the public.
The first session will be held at the Robert Sanders Library, 1505 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, FL 33602, on Saturday, July 9, 2016 10 am until 12 noon.
The second session will be held at the C. Blythe An- drews Library, 2607 E. Dr. M.L.K. Jr. Blvd, Tampa, FL 33610, on Saturday, July 16, 2016, from 10 am until 12 noon.
If you are interested in at- tending either session, please contact the Black Scholars Heading to College Program at blackscholarsheadingtocol- lege@gmail.com.
(Information for this article provided by Atty. Elaine Cooper)
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