Bacon County School District 2023-2024 REACH Scholarship signing
REACH Georgia was launched on February 6, 2012 announcement of AT&T being REACH’s first corporate partner with a donation of $250,000.
In a two-year pilot, REACH Georgia added five school systems–Rabun, Douglas, Dodge, Quitman, and Bulloch Counties–committed 35 students as REACH Scholars and invested $350,000 in student scholarships. Today, REACH serves all 180 school systems across Georgia and more than 3,600 Scholars, committing over $36 million in scholarships.
This program is open to Bacon County students in grade 8 and, if selected, can make a huge financial difference in the lives of our students. REACH Scholars must complete a rigorous application and finalists participate in a thorough individual interview with a panel of community stakeholders. Once scholars are selected they begin participating in monthly academic coaching sessions and bi-weekly mentoring. This support continues from grades 8-12. If scholars maintain appropriate grades, attendance, and discipline during this time, they each receive a $10,000 scholarship to be used for college (including technical colleges as well).
The criteria for selection include: eligibility under the federal income eligibility guidelines, having a secondary cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 or better in all core courses, being academically promising, having a clean discipline record with no more than two minor infractions, and zero out-of-school suspensions, have a strong attendance record, meet Georgia residency requirements, and meet U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements. School systems give preference to students who are the first in their families to attend college and students who have the ability to make A’s and B’s with additional support and assistance.
REACH partners with Georgia school systems to participate in the program. For the first year of a school system’s participation, REACH funds $10,000 for each 8th-grade REACH Scholar. In the second year of participation (second cohort of REACH Scholars), and each year thereafter, the school system must raise private funds for a portion of the $10,000 REACH Scholarship and REACH provides funding for the remainder of the scholarship. Based on Bacon County's poverty level, REACH Georgia will provide $9000 of the $10,000 scholarship for each scholar. We partner with our community to raise an additional $1000 for each of the five scholars each year.
Bacon County 2023 REACH Scholars were sponsored by: Alma/Bacon County Development Authority, Alma Lions Club Foundation Inc., Bacon County Hospital & Health Systems, FNB South, Pineland Bank, and Satilla REMC Foundation, Inc.
The Bacon County School District 2023-24 REACH Scholarship recipients are Kathie Guyton, Jazmyne Henning, Anthony Menera, Ellagail Patterson, and Albert Wilcox.
A formal signing was held for these scholars and their families at the Bacon County Board of Education. We appreciate the amazing support from the schools and community who filled the room to celebrate and encourage these rising stars!
