May 16, 2011

Twenty-eight Guilford County Schools (GCS) seniors are the newest recipients of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship. They each will receive a total value of $26,000 in scholarships to attend a college or university that participates in the program.

The Teaching Fellows program provides $6,500 each year for four years to 500 outstanding North Carolina high school seniors. Upon acceptance of the scholarship, the student agrees to teach for four years in a public school or U.S. government school in North Carolina.

GCS had the second highest number of recipients in the state. Samara Johnson, supervisor of high school counseling, says she hopes to see some of them in the district's classrooms one day.

"We congratulate all of the recipients and hope that one day they will return to Guilford County Schools to teach upon completion of an education degree," said Johnson. "Thank you to all high school counselors who assisted in the recruiting process for the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program. A special thanks to GCS employees, members of the community and retired employees for participating in the local screening interview process. We appreciate your commitment to helping the students of GCS achieve academic excellence."

The following students are recipients of the 2011 North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship:

Additionally, four students from the Class of 2011 were named Aubrey Lee Brooks Scholars. Adeline Heeb of Penn-Griffin School for the Arts, James Keck of Southwest High, Meghan Patterson of High Point Central High and Ashton Pemberton of The Middle College at GTCC-Jamestown will receive scholarships equaling about half the cost of their undergraduate tuition.

Brooks scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors from a 14-county area of North Carolina. Awards are made annually to 17 graduating seniors who plan to enroll as full-time students at North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The scholarships are based on financial need, merit, leadership, character and the will of the recipient to prepare for a career as a useful and informed citizen.

The maximum award for the 2011-12 academic year is $9,500. Brooks Scholars may also receive funding for summer internships, research or study abroad and a one-time computer allowance up to $2,500. The total value of the scholarship could exceed $50,000. The scholarship is renewable, provided the recipient has continued financial need, remains enrolled full time at an eligible institution and maintains a 2.75 cumulative grade point average and good citizenship.