KIPP DC College Preparatory First Graduating Class Awarded More Than $2.8 Million in Scholarships

With graduation season in full swing, this year 20 schools will hold ceremonies from May 31 until August 8. Two schools will hold graduation ceremonies for the first time: National Collegiate Preparatory and KIPP DC College Preparatory.  

Four years ago, KIPP DC College Preparatory Public Charter High School opened its doors to students from the communities most underserved in Washington, DC. Today, 100% of the students in the founding class have been accepted to over 150 different colleges and universities and earned more than two million dollars in college scholarships. Students selected scholarships from the Gates Millennium Scholarship, the POSSE Scholars Program, Presidential Scholars, and Deans Scholars at colleges across the country.

As one senior, Jenny Jones, states in the KIPP Spotlight, “I feel as though KIPP DC has helped me to believe and know that I really can do whatever I set my mind to do.  I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing or if it is just feeling it in your gut that this really can happen, but I know that I can do whatever I set my mind to do.  I am going to college.”  Jenny is currently deciding between Dartmouth College, Davidson College, and Tulane University. 

Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, delivered the keynote address.  She urged graduates to strive for excellence and commit to hard work.    

Source: KIPP DC: Spotlight, Spring 2013 Newsletter  

Update:  Jenny Jones will attend Davidson College as a Presidential Scholar.  

With graduation season in full swing, this year 20 schools will hold ceremonies from May 31 until August 8. Two schools will hold graduation ceremonies for the first time: National Collegiate Preparatory and KIPP DC College Preparatory.