On Thursday, October 17, 2019, five SCCPSS middle school students signed agreements to be part of the REACH Georgia program in a ceremony held at New Hampstead High School. REACH stands for “Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen.”  REACH Georgia is a needs-based mentorship and scholarship program that begins in 8th grade.  

REACH Scholars are paired with a mentor and an academic coach through middle and high school.  Scholars must maintain good grades (2.5 GPA), behavior and attendance through middle school and high school.  Scholars who successfully complete the program and graduate from high school are awarded a $10,000 scholarship ($2,500/year) that can be used at any HOPE-eligible institution in Georgia. A majority of Georgia colleges are matching or double-matching this scholarship.  The scholarship is in addition to any other grant or scholarship the student receives.

During the REACH signing ceremony, students and their families commit to satisfying the program requirements, graduating from high school, and enrolling and completing college. They sign contracts during this ceremonial occasion agreeing to uphold program requirements much like athletic signing day ceremonies.

The SCCPSS 2019-20 REACH Students are from Hubert Middle, Isle of Hope K-8, Myers Middle, Charles Ellis Montessori Academy, and the STEM Academy at Bartlett.