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Samaria Dowling Receives National African American Recognition Program Award

We’re thrilled to share that senior Samaria Dowling was one of 72,000 students across the country to earn academic honors from College Board's National Recognition Programs! She received an award from the National African American Recognition Program. The National Recognition Programs honor the strong academic achievements of underrepresented students and provide a way for them to showcase their hard work in high school. The programs not only benefit the award recipients but also the colleges looking to recruit diverse, talented students.

Students like Samaria are unique in so many ways, and that's an asset to colleges and programs. The National Recognition Programs help individuals like Samaria find ways to celebrate that. 

Eligible students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and apply on BigFuture. They are in the top 10% of PSAT/NMSQT® or PSAT™ 10 assessment takers in each state for each program. The students either attend school in a rural area or small town, or identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Indigenous/Native. They’re invited to apply during their sophomore or junior year. Students who are awarded recognition are notified at the beginning of the next school year.

Congratulations on this incredible achievement, Samaria!

Congratulations to eighth grader, Dazimiah Pringle on being selected to be part of the Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program. Over 800 students applied, and she is one of 43 students across the nation to be chosen! 

The Cooke Young Scholars Program is a selective five-year, pre-college scholarship for high-performing seventh grade students with financial need. The Young Scholars are chosen by a committee of education experts based on academic ability and achievement, leadership, persistence, and financial need. All areas are scored, but academic ability and achievement are the most important. Students like Dazimiah must have earned high grades since sixth grade, with no Cs (or below) in core academic subjects. 

The application process was lengthy and intense. She had to write one long essay and three short ones, provide her grades, list her activities, and more. Dazimiah plays the clarinet and is involved in RoboThinkers, an afterschool youth robotics program through Young Thinkers of York. 

"It was exciting because I'd get an email every time I advanced," she said. Last Friday, she checked after school and saw that she was accepted! “I ran down the hall to see my dad,” she said. (He was waiting to pick her up.) “He told me that this is a pretty big deal and that he’s proud of me,” she said. Her mom is just as proud. “I’m really happy and glad that Mrs. Alvarnaz told me about the program,” she said. Dazimiah is also thankful for the support of Mrs. Bonderowitz, Mrs. Ferrell, Mr. Hood, and Mr. Diaczun.

She will have access to comprehensive academic and college advising, four-year planning, goal setting, career pathway counseling, and financial support for school. Dazimiah and her family will be paired with a dedicated educational advisor to support them through the program. She will get to participate in Cooke-sponsored internships, summer programs, and other learning enrichment opportunities. The scholarship will also empower her to stretch beyond her comfort zone, amplify her academic skills, and explore her passions and interests. Dazimiah will have the tools and support needed to follow in the footsteps of other Young Scholars who are thriving at the nation's top-performing colleges.

What a tremendous accomplishment, Dazimiah. We're thrilled for you!

Our first graders wrapped up their Food Drive by helping to pack the 874 food items that were collected into Catholic Harvest Food Pantry's van! They also raised $232 for Heifer Interactional. Many thanks to first grade teacher, Mrs. Parks for spearheading the effort and to the entire school for supporting the service project. Donations will make a difference here and internationally. Way to go, first grade!