Next Level Scholars Program Advisers Celebrate Five Years of Service
At Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars, our mission is to help local students prepare for life after high school, through academic support and scholarships, to enable post-secondary success. Everything we do is focused on providing the support and resources that our students need to succeed. Over the course of three-years, students in the Next Level Scholars program visit post-secondary institutions, talk with admissions professionals, gain test-taking skills, and more. With 13 partner high schools, and more than 350 students per year, we couldn’t provide all these great experiences to students without our dedicated Next Level Scholars Program Advisers.
These Advisers are the teachers and counselors who are inspiring our students every day. They are the leaders who help to make the Next Level Scholars program so successful. Each year we celebrate milestone anniversaries with our Advisers.
This year, we’d like to congratulate the following Advisers on five years of service with Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars:
Steve Bowers, Mason High School
“Mr. Bowers puts his heart into DRDFS, and I appreciate everything that he does for us. He is a Mason and DRDFS gem. Thank you, Mr. Bowers!” – Mason Student
“My Adviser has helped me strive to meet expectations for colleges. I appreciate my adviser because he believes in me.” – Mason Student
Brandi Huff, Lincoln High School
“Mrs. Huff has been nothing but helpful during these three years I’ve had with her. Not only was she a reliable Adviser, but I could also count on her at school as well. My DRDFS journey would not have been nearly as enjoyable without her. Thank you!” – Lincoln Student
“Thank you for introducing me to DRDFS. You made me feel welcomed and helped me get used to the atmosphere. You’re friendly and funny, thank you!” – Lincoln Student
Jacob Mikula, Detroit Cristo Rey High School
“My Adviser has supported me since the day I found out I was accepted into Next Level Scholars. From attending all the trips with huge smiles, to making sure we always have what we need, my Advisers are always there.” – Detroit Cristo Rey High School Student
“What makes my Advisor Mr. Mikula the best is that he is so funny. I remember when I was a freshman and I had his class I actually enjoyed going to his class even though I don’t like English. I appreciate him because he made it possible for me to have this opportunity.” – Detroit Cristo Rey High School Student
Hillary Tye, Berkley High School
“Thank you Mrs. Tye for all you have done for me. I greatly appreciate it. You have helped me immensely with starting to look at different colleges and I thank you for that.” – Berkley Student
“Our Adviser has always made it her business to not only reach out to us, but listen to us and our needs. I would like to thank her for always being so kind.” – Berkley Student
Since the beginning of our partnerships at Berkley, Detroit Cristo Rey, Lincoln, and Mason high schools in 2015, these Advisers have remained dedicated to our shared mission! We are thankful for their commitment to students, and all that they contribute to our program! To commemorate this milestone and share our gratitude, these Advisers will be presented with a special five-year dedication award. Congratulations, Steve, Brandi, Jacob, and Hillary! We’re looking forward to celebrating many more milestones with all of our incredible Next Level Scholars Program Advisers for years to come.
Click here for more information on our partner high schools.
“I grew up without a clue of what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to go in life, until I had the opportunity to join Dollars for Scholars my sophomore year of high school. From visiting campuses, to SAT prep, the guidance I received from the program changed my entire outlook.
“From college tours to financial aid, Dollars for Scholars has greatly impacted my path to higher education. As a first generation college student, deciding where I would want to continue my education and figuring out how I would get there was a difficult process. My family and I lacked the time and transportation necessary to visit schools, and this limited me in figuring out my future.
“When joining Dollars for Scholars, I was eager to visit colleges and earn scholarship money. Being able to look at all the different schools with other students I could relate to was so reassuring. Dollars for Scholars was able to answer my questions about the ins & outs of post-secondary education, as well assist me with applications. This extra help was so motivating.
“Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars is a life-changing program. Before high school, I was going down a path that if most kids took, they’d end up either dropping out of school or going to jail. Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars helped inspire me to get on a better path by showing me how to prepare for college. Hearing other students’ stories made me feel like I could be successful both in high school and post-secondary education.