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Karen Denne, 310-954-5058, kdenne@broadfoundation.org

$1 Million in Broad Prize Scholarships Awarded to 54 High School Seniors to Attend College

LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2013—The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation announced today that it has awarded $1 million in Broad Prize college scholarships to 54 graduating high school seniors whose school districts were recognized last year as the most improved urban school districts in the country.

The scholarships were awarded to students in four districts that were finalists for the 2012 Broad (pronounced like “road”) Prize, the nation’s largest education award honoring large urban districts that have demonstrated the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among income and ethnic groups.

The winner of the 2012 Broad Prize was Miami-Dade County Public Schools, which received $550,000 in scholarships. The three finalist districts that each received $150,000 in scholarships were the Corona-Norco Unified School District in Riverside County, Calif., the Houston Independent School District, and the School District of Palm Beach in Florida.

“We commend these students for working hard to improve their grades during high school,” said Gregory McGinity, managing director of policy for The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, a national education philanthropy based in Los Angeles. “Just as their school districts have been recognized nationally for boosting student achievement, these students have demonstrated that hard work pays off. We look forward to great accomplishments from these students in college and beyond.”

Unlike many traditional scholarships that are awarded only to top-tier students, Broad Prize scholarships are awarded to graduating seniors who have a demonstrated record of improving their grades over the course of their high school career and have a financial need.

Broad Prize scholars receive two- or four-year scholarships depending on the type of institution they choose to attend. Scholarship recipients who enroll in four-year institutions receive $20,000 paid out over four years ($5,000 per year). Students who enroll in two-year institutions receive $5,000 scholarships paid out over two years ($2,500 per year). The scholarship selection and disbursement process is managed by Scholarship America.

A full list of this year’s scholarship recipients is below. Since the first Broad Prize was awarded in 2002, 1,150 students nationwide have received college scholarships.

The winner of the 2013 Broad Prize will be announced by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Sept. 25 at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. This year’s finalists are Cumberland County Schools, N.C., the Corona-Norco Unified School District in Riverside County, Calif., the Houston Independent School District, and the San Diego Unified School District.

Founded by entrepreneur Eli Broad and his wife Edythe, both graduates of Detroit Public Schools,
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation is a philanthropy that seeks to ensure that every student in an urban public school has the opportunity to succeed. Bringing together top education experts and practitioners, the foundation funds system-wide programs and policies that strengthen public schools by creating environments that allow good teachers to do great work and enable students of all backgrounds to learn and thrive. For more information, visit www.broadeducation.org, and updates are available on Facebook and Twitter @broadfoundation. For more information about The Broad Prize, visit www.broadprize.org.

The following eight seniors from the Corona-Norco Unified School District were selected to receive Broad Prize scholarships:

Yessenia Barron, Santiago High School
Sandra Cuevas, John F. Kennedy High School
Jennifer Dietz, Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Valeria P. Gironas, Centennial High School
Alex Joo, Santiago High School
Melissa Martinez, Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Cameron O’Connor, Santiago High School
Arleen Vazquez, Santiago High School

The following nine seniors from the Houston Independent School District were selected to receive Broad Prize scholarships:

Jose Camacho, High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
Erik Gonzalez, Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center
Jose J. Herrera, John H. Reagan High School
Alexandria Jones, Westside High School
Lucia Medina, Sam Houston Math Science and Technology Center
Gissell A. Montoya, North Houston Early College High School
Victoria North, Barbara Jordan High School
Desiree M. Ramos, Jefferson Davis High School
Mally Shoulders, Bellaire High School

The following 29 seniors from Miami-Dade County Public Schools were selected to receive Broad Prize scholarships:

Nilseen L. Aguilar, Coral Gables Senior High School
Grant Albert, Miami Palmetto Senior High School
Sabrina Altine, Miami Central High School
Lizelh Ayala, Miami Springs Senior High School
Adam Bernstein, Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Bay
Davis Brice, William H. Turner Technical Arts High School
A’Lexus C. Brown, Miami Carol City Senior High
Eykis N. Chavarro, Ronald W. Reagan/Doral High School
Arcel Diaz, Hialeah Senior High School
Roldyne L. Dolce, William H. Turner Technical Arts High School
Nyla Duperval, Law Enforcement Officers Memorial High School
Clairdine Estimable, Miami Edison Senior High School
Asmae Fahmy, Miami Palmetto Senior High School
Christopher Fisk Kolychkine, Miami Palmetto Senior High School
Leon Fussell, Miami Central High School
Roshanna Livingston, Miami Carol City Senior High
Eliani Lorenzo, Miami Lakes Educational Center
Jacqueline M. Martinez, Homestead Senior High School
Deborah Merino, Miami Beach Senior High School
Juan Neira, North Miami Beach Senior High School
Alex Philogene, William H. Turner Technical Arts High School
Jacqueline K. Ramirez, Westland Hialeah High Senior High School
Lizbeth M. Ramos, South Dade Senior High School
Fabiola Salazar, Coral Gables Senior High School
Roberto Soto, Mater Academy Lakes High School
Whitney Thames, William H. Turner Technical Arts High School
Aaliyah Thomas, Miami Carol City Senior High
Jennifer D. Thomas, South Dade Senior High School
Daniella Yepes, Coral Gables Senior High School

The following eight seniors from the School District of Palm Beach County were selected to receive Broad Prize scholarships:

Michael T. Bright, Suncoast High School
Kimberly Chery, Palm Beach Gardens Community High School
Patricia Dauphin, Palm Beach Gardens Community High School
Barbara Dorjulus, Boynton Beach Community High School
Macarena M. Martinez, Atlantic Community High School
Rey Briana Pierre, Lake Worth Community High School
Shelby Pringle, Park Vista Community High School
Nykeythia C. Reid, Suncoast High School

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