SNOW HILL – A Snow Hill High School student was surprised with a $40,000 scholarship on “Good Morning America” this week.
Leia Donaway, a senior at Snow Hill High School, was one of 25 students from across the country who were awarded scholarships from the College Board during Wednesday’s “Good Morning America” show.
“We are so proud to congratulate Snow Hill High School senior Leia Donaway,” said Worcester County Superintendent of Schools Lou Taylor. “She, like so many high school students, has overcome so much to stay on the path to college during a year of uncertainty and challenges caused by the pandemic. Leia serves as a model that all students can follow to make their college dream attainable.”
In the “Good Morning America” clip, which focused on the struggle of applying for college during the pandemic, 25 students from across the country joined in live from their homes to talk about their experiences. They were surprised with the news that the College Board was awarding each of them a $40,000 scholarship.
“This scholarship is for every student, no matter their background or what school they attend. It’s about giving all students a chance to raise their hands and be seen,” said College Board CEO David Coleman. “These 25 students are as diverse and strong as the country we call home; they come from small towns, cities, and everywhere in between. What unites them is that they have overcome adversity and taken a series of small steps to earn themselves a big future.”
According to the College Board, Donaway is among the second cohort of recipients of its Complete Your Journey Opportunity Scholarship winners. Twenty-five students in the class of 2021 from across the country earned a total of $1 million toward their education by completing the steps in the College Board Opportunity Scholarships program—steps that help them plan, prepare, and pay for college.
More than 1 million students from all 50 states have joined the College Board Opportunity Scholarships program since it launched in December 2018. Students have won more than $10 million in scholarships. In addition to the 25 $40,000 Complete Your Journey winners from the class of 2021, nearly 4,000 students from 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands earned $3.6 million in smaller scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,000.
