JENKS, Oklahoma — Two Jenks students have been awarded full four-year scholarships after being recognized as Match Scholarship recipients through national nonprofit QuestBridge, Jenks Public Schools said in a press release. Announced.
Mercy Kim was matched with Bowdoin College, one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges in Brunswick, Maine, and Brianna Keira was matched with one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges in Brunswick, Maine. I was matched with Bowdoin College.
This year, Kim and Kirha were recognized as Match Scholarship Recipients among 1,755 students from across the country. The Match Scholarship covers full tuition, room, board, books, supplies, and travel expenses.
“Honestly, when I was filling out the application, I didn’t have high hopes or expectations for this,” Kirha said. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to enter such a prestigious school.My parents are very proud and very happy. I don’t have to worry about my financial situation, I can go to college and focus on my studies.”
Kim said she is excited about the new experience.
“My first reaction was relief because I no longer had to worry about college costs,” Kim said. “I don’t know much about Maine, but I’m excited to go to new places and have new experiences. One of the main reasons my parents left Myanmar to come to America was education. I am very grateful to the teachers at Jenks for helping me every step of the way and being so supportive.”
Kirha came to Jenks from India in her third year. She moved back to India with her family and when she was in 7th grade she came back to JPS. Holly is a cross, she wants to enroll in her Pre-Med course, and she aspires to become a pediatric surgeon one day. When Kim arrived in Jenks with her family during her second grade at East Elementary School, she spoke no English. She also hopes to attend medical school to pursue her career as a family doctor or obstetrician/gynecologist.
The top high school seniors who received the Match Scholarship have an average unweighted GPA of 3.94, and 94% are in the top 10% of their graduating class. About 94% are from households with an annual income of less than $65,000, and 88% qualify for free or reduced school meals. The majority (80%) of this year’s Match Scholarship Recipients are the first generation of families to attend a four-year college in the United States.
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