VyStar Credit Union has awarded four Florida high school students two-year college scholarships as part of the Path to Prosperity Scholarship Program. The Path to Prosperity Scholarship Program is a partnership between Florida Prepaid College Foundation (FPCF) and the Florida Chamber Foundation with the goal of reducing childhood poverty in Florida by providing a pathway to college for students living in the poorest zip codes. VyStar partnered with the FPCF to support education through initiatives that create a solid foundation for a lifetime of financial wellness for students.
“Financial education is one of VyStar’s most important philanthropic initiatives,” said VyStar SVP/Foundation President Patricia McElroy. “We’re honored to partner with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation and provide four deserving students with Path to Prosperity two-year scholarships. This investment will help break down barriers to education, empower the students to pursue their dreams and build a brighter future.”
The four VyStar Path to Prosperity Recipients who were awarded scholarships are:
Darrius Gradison, Jones High School, Orlando Florida
Jennicia Potter, Gainesville High School, Gainesville, Florida
Shahee Summerville, Jones High School, Orlando, Florida
Yaraliz, Pace Center for Girls, Ormond Beach, Florida
Eligible students were identified through a partnership with the FPCF, the Florida Chamber Foundation and the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, Pace Center for Girls, and its membership organizations in Alachua, Volusia and Orange counties. Scholarship winners met specific criteria including staying crime-free and drug-free and demonstrating promising efforts in their classrooms while overcoming significant life challenges.
More than 700,000 Florida children are living in poverty. Half of these children are concentrated in just 15 percent of Florida’s zip codes – resulting in extremely impoverished communities where children face a much greater likelihood of academic challenges, health risks and other obstacles.
“We congratulate these students and their families for their incredible dedication and impressive academic achievements thus far, despite challenges that may have come their way” said Florida Prepaid College Foundation Director Cynthia O’Connell. “The student scholarship recipient selected from the Pace Center for Girls will be using the two-year college scholarship to attend Daytona State College to begin her nursing program. We are thrilled to be a part of this student’s journey and support her with a path to education.”
The Path to Prosperity Scholarship Program was built with the goal of fighting childhood poverty by providing a path to higher education. Florida Prepaid College Foundation offers a dollar-for-dollar match, doubling the impact of scholarships available to students. Each scholarship will cover 60 credit hours at a Florida public college or university, or the equivalent funding at technical and vocational schools.
Learn more about the Path to Prosperity Scholarship Program and the Florida Prepaid College Foundation at www.pathtoprosperityscholarship.com.