While National Signing Day has become a big event for high school senior football players signing college letters of intent, a college “signing day” ceremony of a different sort will be held for nine Atlanta Public Schools (APS) eighth graders on Friday from 10:30 a.m. to Noon at Phoenix Academy (256 Clifton Street, SE).
 
These nine students are the Class of 2024 for the REACH Georgia Scholarship program, a needs-based mentorship and scholarship initiative that begins in eighth grade. The members of the REACH Georgia Scholarship Class of 2024 are:

·         Amir Robinson, BEST Academy

·         Jameeya Woods, Brown Middle School

·         Calik Hill, Bunche Middle School

·         Shataira Hightower, Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy

·         Ajoni Douglas, John Lewis Invictus Academy

·         Laiylah Sheffield, Kindezi Fourth Ward

·         Alexis Hernandez-Tellez, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School

·         Kelly Abigail Reyes-Cruz, Sutton Middle School, and

·         Leia Maduakalom, Wesley International Academy.
 
REACH Scholars are paired with a mentor and an academic coach through middle and high school. Scholars must maintain good grades (2.5 GPA/4.0 scale), behavior and attendance through middle school and high school. Scholars who successfully complete the program and graduate from high school are awarded a $10,000 scholarship ($2,500/year) that can be used at any HOPE-eligible institution in Georgia. The majority of Georgia colleges are matching or doubling the REACH Georgia scholarship, and the scholarship is in addition to any other grant or scholarship the student receives.
 
The Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Scholarship Program was launched by Governor Nathan Deal in 2012 and is a needs-based mentorship and scholarship program designed to encourage students starting in middle school, to persist in their educational pursuits.  Students are provided with academic, social, and financial support needed to graduate from high school, access college, achieve post-secondary success and be prepared for the 21st century workforce.