slideshow

ATLANTA (February 6, 2012) – Sen. Bill Hamrick (R-Carrollton) attended the launch of the REACH (Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen) Scholarship program today on the Georgia Tech campus. Gov. Nathan Deal kicked off an aggressive fund-raising program and also announced the program’s first corporate sponsor, AT&T, who provided a $250,000 donation.

“Providing top-achieving students with the financial means to attend Georgia colleges and universities has been a Senate priority for many years,” said Sen. Hamrick. “The framework for the REACH Scholarship was set in place a few years ago, and I am pleased to see Gov. Deal offer such a strong commitment to this program.”

Participants in the REACH scholarship program are selected in middle school and sign a contract to maintain a specific grade point average, along with a pledge to remain drug, crime and behavior issue free. REACH students are also expected to meet with a volunteer mentor until their high school graduation, and parents and/or guardians must sign a contract to support their students throughout the program. A renewable award of $2,500 will be given to each student who completes the program requirements and attends any HOPE eligible institution.

“This is a scholarship that intertwines the essentials of student success: hard work, good behavior and parental support. I am thrilled that a school system in my district is a part of the initial program launch,” said Sen. Hamrick.

Douglas County Schools, along with Rabun and Bulloch County School Systems, are among the first Georgia schools to pilot the REACH scholarship program. Additional partner districts will be named each subsequent year.

RELEASE

For Immediate Release:

February 6, 2012

Contact:

Natalie Dale, Director

Jennifer Yarber, Deputy Director

jennifer.yarber@senate.ga.gov

404.656.0028