Congratulations to the 59 members of the Class of 2021 who achieved perfect attendance throughout the three-year Next Level Scholars program!
The Next Level Scholars (NLS) Class of 2021 is the largest in the history of the organization with 114 graduates. Students participate in the academic support program from sophomore year until high school graduation. Throughout that time, they attend multiple events each school year, including campus visits, SAT test prep, etiquette and networking training, the annual Celebration Luncheon, and more.
In order to achieve perfect attendance throughout all three years, students must make a commitment to the program and to their own success in life after high school. More than half of the students in this graduating class attended every single NLS event. All 59 of them have remained highly engaged, maximizing resources and opportunities provided to them in the NLS program.
The following students received special recognition during the recent Suited for Success celebration at the end of the school year. Congratulations on achieving perfect attendance in the NLS program!
“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.