Speaking at a signing ceremony for 2023-24 REACH Scholars at Dalton Junior High School on Friday, Dalton Public Schools Superintendent Tim Scott had sage advice for this year’s five recipients from Hammond Creek Middle School.
“This is a journey, some of it is going to be up and some of it is going to be down,” Scott said. “What I’m going to ask you guys to do is to be persistent. Don’t give it up. Stay after it.”
The event marked Dalton Public Schools’ seventh REACH (Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen) scholarship reception and signing ceremony. REACH Georgia, which launched in 2012, is a need-based mentoring and scholarship program for lower-income eighth-grade students who have excelled in academics throughout elementary and middle school.
“REACH begins in middle school with teachers nominating seventh-grade students who have demonstrated academic promise, good attendance, good behavior and meeting other state criteria,” said Dee Curtis, who coordinates the REACH Georgia program for Dalton Public Schools. “Students must complete a detailed application, provide references and provide parent comment. Last year at Hammond Creek we had many wonderful nominees. Our selection committee had the difficult task of narrowing down our candidate pool to the five scholars you see before you today.”
The five students deemed REACH Scholars for the 2023-24 school year and who were honored at the signing ceremony are Jayden Diaz, Taisha Dillard, Gloria Herrera, Ogochim Nwaba and Janeisha Sagoes.
REACH Scholars who successfully maintain a high grade point average, good behavior, good attendance and create career goals by the time of their high school graduation are eligible for scholarships that can total up to $10,000 during their college experience at any HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) scholarship-eligible public or private postsecondary institution in the state.
Lauren Watkins, a counselor at Dalton Junior High who also assists with the REACH program at the school, said the parents of REACH Scholars play just as vital a role in the future success of their children.
“We are asking you to commit to supporting your students as they progress through the program,” Watkins said. “We need you to commit to attending REACH events and meetings and contacting your student’s academic coach and counselors. These commitments are serious and necessary for these scholars to reach their potential and their very best futures.”
Sagoes, who has received several trophies in band and in cheerleading competitions, is an active member in the Girl Scouts of the USA and maintained all “A’s” throughout sixth- and seventh-grade. She credits her teachers for her success.
“They believed we were worthy and had a chance,” Sagoes said. “When I got the news that I was one of the lucky five students who were selected, it was amazing. I really credit Mrs. (Yebel) Garcia (an English and language arts teacher at Hammond Creek), because she is the one who really believed in me and filled out the form for me to get this opportunity. I am very grateful for her for teaching me.”
Sagoes plans to use the scholarship to attend Georgia State University in Statesboro while studying psychology.
Herrera, who has received numerous awards for reading, etiquette, responsibility and soccer while maintaining high grades in middle school, said she wasn’t sure if she would be selected for the scholarship at first.
“But I’m so glad I got this opportunity because my parents don’t really earn much,” she said. “This is a great opportunity for me to study and help my parents in the future. I’m so glad that people are helping kids like us that don’t really have the money to pay for college.”
Herrera, who received a class superlative for “most beautiful eyes,” said she hopes to attend Kennesaw State University or Dalton State College and become a fashion designer or model.
Dillard said her future goals include becoming a neurosurgeon after studying at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta and attending medical school at either Duke University or Harvard University. Dillard has participated in track, marching band and swimming, and received the “student of the quarter” award in sixth- and seventh-grade.
“This program helps me cover the finances needed to go to school and it means a lot to me because it will help push my dreams to go to college,” she said.
Diaz, who received academic excellence awards in middle school and at Brookwood Elementary, received the “student athlete” award in sixth-grade for his success on and off the basketball court.
“This is a blessing and all God’s work,” Diaz said of receiving the scholarship. “I believe he has allowed me to work towards this.”
Diaz said he plans to attend either Georgia State University or the University of Georgia to “study technology” and play basketball.
“It’s a really special opportunity; I never would have expected myself to be here,” said Nwaba, who participates in chorus and was the league champion of the school’s Academic Bowl team. “I’m really grateful for it and I hope I can live up to it.”
Nwaba received awards for academic excellence and character in both sixth and seventh grade and was a member of the Northwest Georgia chapter of the Georgia Society of Professional Engineers’ second place team. He looks forward to using the scholarship at either Dalton State College or the University of Georgia, where he plans to study psychology.
“I’m leaning towards psychology because everyone tells me that I would make a great therapist and I have a nice passion for that as well,” Nwaba said.
Scott congratulated the REACH Scholars and their parents.
“This is well-deserved and it’s going to be an amazing accomplishment to see what you all do at the end of this journey,” he said.