Gwinnett Daily Post

Frank Reddy

SUWANEE -- Hard work and dedication recently paid off for six Gwinnett County Public Schools students whose college educations will be fully funded by a national organization.

The students, all seniors at Berkmar High School, were selected as 2013 QuestBridge National College Match recipients, earning each of them a full scholarship to top universities across the nation.

The six recipients began the QuestBridge application planning process four years ago as ninth graders under the guidance of advanced placement teacher Joni Jameson. With three Berkmar High QuestBridge winners the previous year, Jameson has developed the following system to guide her student applicants:

-- As freshmen, the students study the QuestBridge program's requirements and plan their high school academic coursework.

-- During their freshman and sophomore years, the students become Advanced Placement scholars.

-- As juniors, the students begin writing their essays and gathering teacher evaluations.

-- During their senior year, the students research the 33 universities QuestBridge partners with to narrow their selections.

Students who received this year's scholarship include the following:

-- Adila Abdulwahid, University of Chicago

-- Oscar Chavarria, Bowdoin College

-- Anthony Downer, University of Chicago

-- Lizbeth Pena, Columbia University

-- Anayelly Medina, Emory University

-- Allyson Pel, Davison CollegeStripling Elementary families to benefit from gift cards

Stripling Elementary families to benefit from gift cards

NORCROSS -- Thirty families at Stripling Elementary have been chosen for assistance from the Georgia Compassion Project, a nonprofit organization.

Community members and founders Tim and Amber Vojta and Ted Pappas have donated $15,000 to the school to support homeless and needy families during the holiday season.

Thirty families will each receive $500 worth of gift cards. Stripling Elementary honored the founders with a plaque on Dec. 6.

Frank Reddy writes about education. Good News from Schools appears in the Sunday edition of the Daily Post.