Richland One’s Class of 2015 Sets New District Scholarship Record

COLUMBIA, SC – For the second year in a row, Richland One seniors have set a new district record in scholarship totals. To date, the Class of 2015 has received $66.9 million in scholarship offers and other financial aid.

This year’s scholarship total of $66.9 million exceeds last year’s class total by more than $2 million. With more than $21 million in scholarships earned by its seniors, Dreher High School has the highest total among district high schools.

“Our guidance counselors and other staff have made vigorous efforts to encourage students to seek scholarships and submit applications,” said Richland One Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon. “Richland One has prepared its students to succeed academically anywhere in the world. We have graduates in the Class of 2015 who plan to attend Harvard, Georgetown, MIT and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, as well as other prestigious colleges and universities in South Carolina and across the nation.”

Outstanding scholarship recipients in the Class of 2015 include Gates Millennium Scholars Shacoria Anderson of Lower Richland High School, Micah Crumpton of W.J. Keenan High School, Marcas Smith of A.C. Flora High School and Linda Taylor of Eau Claire High School. The highly esteemed and competitive Gates Millennium Scholarship Program, which is funded through a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will cover the entire cost of their college education, including graduate school.

To date, Richland One has four students who have been awarded the prestigious National Merit Scholarships for academic excellence: Nick Seymour of Dreher High School and Kevin Rabinovich, Esme Claire Bajo and Elizabeth A. Williams, all of A.C. Flora High School. Seniors Tyler Gray of A.C. Flora High School and Gabrielle Young of Lower Richland High School are among the 23 South Carolina students who have been named 2015 National Achievement Scholars. Other impressive scholarship award winners include Briana Abraham, a W.J. Keenan High School senior who won $40,000 in scholarships in the Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student scholarship contest. Adrian Williams of C.A. Johnson High School and X’Avier Douglas W.J. Keenan High School each received a $20,000 scholarship from the Columbia Rotary Club. The Capital Rotary Club awarded a $20,000 scholarship to Dreher High senior Victoria Bailey.

Richland One congratulates the members of the Class of 2015, their families and school staff who helped them to achieve these impressive accomplishments.

Media inquiries should be directed to the Richland One Office of Communications at 231-7504 or 231-7510.