During a special signing day ceremony, 13 Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) eighth-grade students were named recipients of a $10,000 REACH Georgia Scholarship. The scholarships were presented during a luncheon sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Griffin on Wednesday, November 11.
REACH (Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen) Georgia's mission is to ensure that Georgia's low income, academically promising students have the academic, social, and financial support needed to graduate from high school, access college and achieve postsecondary success.
REACH Georgia scholars are selected in middle school and sign a contract along with their parent/guardian to maintain a 2.5 GPA, remain crime, drug and behavior issue free and meet with a volunteer mentor and academic coach until they graduate from high school. Each scholar who completes all program requirements will receive the $10,000 that was earmarked to him/her in the eighth grade. Each student will receive $2,500 per year, for up to four years to be used towards the cost of attending a two or four-year REACH Georgia program eligible institution of their choosing.
The GSCS 2026 REACH Georgia Scholars are:
• Carver Road Middle Students: Eric Lin, Mariah Bozeman, Paisley Nichols, Amelia Nogalski, Makenzie Anderson & Karol Carranza
• Cowan Road Middle Students: Za'Myah Curtis & Gerardo Sanchez-Gomora
• Kennedy Road Middle Students: Keion Bacon, Bailey Anderson & Karson Garland
• Rehoboth Road Middle Students: Roxanne Brown & Paisley Phillips
The students along with their parents signed scholarship commitment forms, similar to an athletic scholarship signing day, before their school principals, school counselors, GSCS cabinet members, sponsors, elected officials and Kiwanis Club members.
Local investments were made for each scholarship by Chick-fil-A of Griffin, Brightmoor Hospice, Dairy Queen, H & R Block, Kiwanis Club of Griffin, Marco’s Pizza, Marukan Vinegar and Rotary Club of Griffin.
This is the tenth cohort for the REACH Program at GSCS and they are anticipated to graduate from Griffin and Spalding High Schools in 2031.