CGCS-Peters Pharis Foundation Math and Science Scholarships
Four graduating high school seniors who plan to major in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) have been selected by the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) to receive a $10,000 CGCS-Peters Pharis Foundation Math and Science Scholarship.
The students were chosen from more than 200 applicants in big-city school districts across the country for their academic achievements, community involvement, and leadership qualities.
Sponsored by the Peters Pharis Foundation, the scholarship program is a partnership between the Foundation and CGCS. It is designed for outstanding urban high school students, particularly those who are the first in their family to attend college, and who plan to pursue STEM studies at a four-year college or university in the fall.
This year’s award winners are:
- Mia Abreu, Colonial High School, Orange County Public Schools (FL)
- Jasmine Lewis, Richmond Community High School, Richmond Public Schools (VA)
- Jonathan McNair, STEM Early College at NC A&T, Guilford County Schools (NC)
- Erwing Perez Valenzuela, Providence Career and Technical Academy, Providence Public School District (RI)
In the fall, Abreu will major in biology and neuroscience at Duke University. Lewis will pursue a degree in civil engineering at North Carolina A&T State University. McNair will major in computer and electrical engineering at Cornell University, and Valenzuela will major in mechanical engineering at The University of Rhode Island.
This is the third year the Peters Pharis Foundation has funded the math and science scholarship program. This year, the Foundation increased its donation from $20,000 to $40,000. As a result, the Council was able to raise the scholarship amount for each student from $5,000 in previous years to $10,000 this year.