Gates Millennium Scholarships Go To Six High School Grads

Gates Millennium Scholarships Go To Six Students


Graduating seniors at LEADs and International Studies at San Diego High, Kearny International Business, Crawford IDEA and Morse have been named Gates Millennium Scholars for 2011.
Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the program provides 1,000 students across the country with a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. The program also provides Scholars with personal and professional development, as well as academic support throughout their college career.

San Diego Unified students named Gates scholars are: Russyan Mark Mabeza, Morse High; Karla Arment and Anayeli Garcia of the School of International Studies at San Diego High; David Jaramillo of LEADS at San Diego High; Evelyn Ramirez of the School of International Business at Kearny High; and Idris Ahmed of IDEA at Crawford High.

"This is an outstanding honor for these students, reflective of their hard work in high school," said Nellie Meyer, Deputy Superintendent for Instruction. "Many of these students overcame many challenges to reach this level. We wish them all the best as they enter the university of their choice."

More than 13,000 Gates Millennial Scholars have been funded since the program was started with a $1 billion grant in 1999 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The program is known for its recipients' high graduation rates. The six-year rate of 90 percent is 45 percent higher than the national graduation rates for all students and comparable to the rates for students from high-income families.

For more information, visit the program's website at www.gmsp.org.