Record-breaking $36,831,081 in scholarships for the MPS Class of 2015

Third consecutive record total; Class of 2015 more than doubled Class of 2012’s total

Milwaukee Public Schools graduates have earned a record-setting scholarship total for the third straight year, with the Class of 2015 netting $36,831,081 and still counting. The total tops the Class of 2014’s more than $31 million, the Class of 2013’s $24 million and it more than doubles the Class of 2012’s $17 million. “This incredible momen- tum is the result of the hard work of students, families, educators, support staff – and it is the result of MPS’ continuing commitment to college and career readiness,” MPS Superintendent Dari- enne Driver said. Scholarship winners were recognized by Dr. Driver June 9 at a celebration at MPS’ Riverside University High School. MPS’ college and career readiness efforts include:

• Increasing access to college-level Advanced Place- ment and International Baccalaureate programs

• Two College Access Centers, supported by Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation, to help more students think about and prepare for post secondary education

• GEAR UP, which is strengthening preparation for and awareness of college for students in the Classes of 2017 and 2018 in eight high schools

• Increasing the number of strong high school options, including last year’s opening of a high school at top-rated Golda Meir School for the Gifted and Talented

• Partnering with College Possible Milwaukee, which works to make college ad- mission and success possible for low-income students through coaching and sup- port The efforts are yielding a steady increase in the percentage of MPS grads going immediately onto two- and four-year colleges. MPS grads set another re- cord this year: Eight high schools earned a collective $1 million or more in schol- arships. The schools and their totals as of June 9 are:

• Rufus King Interna- tional High School, $7,737,500

• Ronald Reagan Col- lege Preparatory High School, $7,568,022

• Carmen High School of Science and Technol- ogy – South Campus, $5,747,208

• Riverside University High School, $5,584,090

• Alexander Hamilton High School, $2,005,730

• Milwaukee High School of the Arts, $1,589,850

• Milwaukee School of Languages, $1,462,484

• South Division High School, $1,062,154 Winning students are heading to destinations from coast to coast and close to home including: Alverno College, Barnard College, Brown University, Clark Atlanta University, Howard University, Marquette University, Mount Mary University, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and many more schools.