Boston Scholars Program Announces Class of 2008 Award Recipients

The Boston Scholars Program, a new philanthropic organization that grants scholarships and mentors inner-city high school students, announced that it awarded twelve scholarships to its inaugural class. These "Boston Scholars" each receive a four-year $4000 scholarship to help pay for tuition, books, and transportation, as well as enter the Boston Scholars mentoring program to help them "open doors through educational opportunity."

The Boston Scholars Program is one of the most exciting local non-profits in Boston, since starting only in the past year yet having already assembled a top notch board of advisors and conducted outreach with hundreds of students. The mission statement of the Boston Scholars Program is to "open doors through educational opportunity", and the Boston Scholars Program achieves this mission by granting scholarships to rising high-school students, and matching these "Boston Scholars" with qualified mentors. Building on that track record of success, the program announced the Boston Scholars Class of 2008 – twelve local, disadvantaged students entering high school this fall who needed scholarship money and mentoring in order to ensure they would be successful in high school and beyond.

Rob Higby, co-founder, reaffirmed that “this announcement continues to demonstrate the success of the Boston Scholars Program, and we are privileged to have such a deserving and qualified group of scholars join our program.”

All of the students receiving the Boston Scholars Award have pledged to work with their mentor to continue their development, dedicate the proper time and attention to their schoolwork, engage in community service, and go on to a four-year college. The Boston Scholars Award is based on academic potential, community involvement, leadership, and all recipients must demonstrate financial need.

Ann Mittelstadt, Director of Admissions, said “we received about 40 applications and interviewed about two dozen students, so we ended up with a highly qualified and motivated class of scholars. We know that the Boston Scholars Class of 2008 will go on to accomplish great things in high school, college, and in their communities.”

John H. Finley, IV, Executive Director of Epiphany School in Dorchester said “we give our students an excellent foundation before they enter high school, but we know that additional tuition assistance and especially mentoring are essential to ensuring these students are successful and continue onto college. The Boston Scholars Program fills this critical need for our students and we are excited to have partnered with them, and especially pleased that six of our students were chosen to receive the Boston Scholars Award.”