Awards Ceremony Honors 61 D.C.-Area Youth Leaders

In January, 700 people filled the historic Lincoln Theatre to welcome 61 new Scholars at the 12th annual Posse D.C. Awards Ceremony. These dynamic young people were awarded more than $10 million in four-year, full-tuition merit scholarships by Bucknell University, Grinnell College, Lafayette College, Sewanee: The University of the South, University of Rochester and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

This year’s Scholars were chosen from a record-setting pool of 1,620 nominees who demonstrate exceptional academic and leadership potential and hail from more than 40 high schools across the Washington D.C. metro area. Close to 50 percent will be the first in their families to attend college.

“Standing up there and hearing my family say my name during the open mic session, I was filled with excitement,\" says Dwayne Whittaker, a senior at Ballou Senior High School who will attend Lafayette College this fall. \"I'm proud to be a part of Posse and have this once in a lifetime chance to attend such a great school.\" 

Posse D.C. was joined by local academic and government officials in celebration of the Scholar’s achievements, including D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson, Fairfax County Public Schools Executive Principal Jay Pearson, Montgomery County Public Schools Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers, Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO Kevin Maxwell, and D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau.

Over the next eight months, Posse Scholars will participate in the intensive Pre-Collegiate Training Program to ensure they arrive on campus prepared for their classes and student life. This preparation has contributed to a national 90 percent persistence and graduation rate among Posse Scholars at our college and university partners.

Posse D.C. Awards Ceremony Sponsors

Ambassadors
Boston Consulting Group
GEICO
Northrop Grumman

Advocate
Ernst & Young LLP

Friends
Cardinal Bank
Eva Marie Carney and Alan Cohen
Reed Smith LLP