Competition heats up for Broad Prize scholarships

Across Brownsville, competition has begun for $1 million in Broad Prize scholarships, which for some winners could make the difference between going to college and not.

Potentially, any of 2,366 seniors at the Brownsville Independent School District's six high schools, plus an undetermined number of graduating juniors, are eligible.

"Just about practically anybody can apply," said George Saavedra, BISD administrator for guidance and counseling. "They have to show financial need and they also have to show academic improvement from ninth grade to 11th grade.

"This is being run by a division of the College Board and they've been very accommodating," Saavedra added. "One thing people have to understand is that Brownsville seniors and graduating juniors are competing among themselves for this award."

The scholarships are what BISD won when it was named winner of the 2008 Broad Prize for Urban Education, widely considered the nation's top education prize.

The 65-pound figurine representing the prize arrived in Brownsville last week, a bronze casting by American artist Tom Oterness. It is on display in Superintendent Hector Gonzales' office and will be displayed around the district on a rotating basis.

The Broad organization also provided banners and smaller figurines for all 54 Brownsville schools, as well as a fund to celebrate the award, Broad Prize spokeswoman Erica Lepping said.

Flyers and posters have gone out across the district stating requirements for receiving one of the scholarships and encouraging people to apply.

Applicants must have a scholastic average of at least 80, demonstrate financial need on the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and show improvement academically from ninth grade to the present.

Graduating juniors must attach an official letter of intent for three-year graduation to their initial application. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent legal residents.

"We want to encourage as many to apply as want to," said M-D November, program coordinator for the Educational Testing Service's Scholarship and Recognition Program, which administers Broad Prize scholarships for the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

The Broad Foundation contracted ETS to develop the scholarships when it established the Broad Prize in 2002. ETS, also known as the College Board, administers the ACT and SAT college entrance examinations. Its Scholarship and Recognition Program administers numerous college scholarship programs nationwide, November said.

November said between 50 and 65 scholarships will be available to Brownsville students depending on the degrees applicants pursue. The scholarships are for $5,000 per year at a four-year university for a total of $20,000 and $2,500 per year at technical or two-year college for the first two years and $5,000 for the next two years, if the student pursues a bachelor's degree after the first two years.

The scholarships are awarded in a two-phase process. The initial application is available online at www.broadprize.org or from counselors at each high school. The applications need to be submitted to counselors by Dec. 1 so they can submit them to ETS by Dec. 15, Saavedra said.

November said between 200 and 250 applicants will be chosen for the second round, which includes submission of a transcript and letters of recommendation. Winners will be announced in May 2009.

Ruben Reyna, a senior at Lopez High School, hopes he's one of them. He said finding the money to go to college is going to be a problem for him and his family "and any money I could get is going to help a lot."

Reyna said he's improved his grade-point average from 2.8 in middle school to 3.8 now. The required 80 percent scholastic average translates to a 2.75 GPA, according to BISD's Broad Prize fact sheet.

Reyna hopes to attend the University of North Texas in Denton or the University of Texas at Austin to major in music.

At Rivera High School, senior Miriam Castro also is hopeful.

"Like anyone else, I'm looking for a way to go to college, Castro said, adding that she ranks about fifth in her class. "Even if I don't get it, I'm applying for it. I'm trying everything I can."

At Lopez, head counselor Alicia Roberts said she likes the way the Broad Scholarships reward students for what they have accomplished during their school years.

"They're not necessarily looking for the top echelon, and that's a distinct advantage for these students because they get rewarded for their efforts throughout high school," Roberts said.