Although the current administration is reviewing a broad range of federal aid assistance programs, direct federal student loans and Pell grants have not been affected yet. Five local youth will not be upset about those proposed changes to the U.S. Department of Education. With the help of Educating Students Together (EST), a college access program, they all received full-ride scholarships.
“A lot of students are worried about completing their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) forms, but there is so much financial help out there,” Dr. Yasmin Delahoussaye, EST co-founder said. “Every year, unknowing families leave millions of dollars on the table.”
The Posse Foundation Leadership Scholarship recently received 2,200 applications and chose only 90 students nationwide. Five of them were from EST and their tuition will be covered all four years, a full-ride scholarship. “We know where the money is,” said Delahoussaye, a former LA Community College administrator who, with her husband, began EST 38 years ago with the belief in the power of education to break cycles of poverty.
Frank Osbourne, 17, who will be attending Tulane University in New Orleans, lives in Compton and attends Cabrillo High School in Long Beach. He intends to major in business administration in order to become a financial advisor. “I think Tulane would be a good opportunity for me,” Osourne said. “They have a great business department and they have a stock market room on campus. And I have family out there. That will be a helping hand for me in general.”
One of his mother’s friends heard about EST, they checked it out and then they saw a flier. “That’s when we said ‘Yes, let’s do this,’” Osbourne said. “This will help me in my senior year.” He believes that EST has helped his entire family, taking the weight off his parents, as his three other siblings are about to attend college and EST will help them make sure they do the right things to get into college.
“Dr. Delahoussaye, the mentors and students gave me a whole lot of support and there are like-minded peers to lean on and depend on,” he said. “They care and help with applications.” Osbourne was able to attend the summer program EST held at Cal State L.A., where high school students can spend time on campus, take practice tests and stay in the student dorms.
“Cal State LA was very fun,” he said. “It was a mind opening experience for me. I took head shots that I still use; got help with my resume; and got ready for ACTs and SATs tests.” Hazel Senteza, will be attending Santa Clara University, and lives in Sylmar. She attends Crescenta Valley High School and intends to major in Biopsychology.
Nichelle Walker, will be attending the University of Wisconsin (Madison). She lives in Pasadena and attends Flintridge Preparatory School. She will major in Veterinary Medicine.
Josiah Hankerson, 16, will be attending Northwestern University and lives in
Compton. He attends Verbum Dei Jesuit high School and will major in political science.
“I’m going to be on the pre-law track and become a civil rights attorney,” he said.
Hankerson currently represents Verbum Dei students at the school’s board meetings and first heard about EST through his counselor, as the program has partnership with the school to help students segway to college.
“Before then, I had no idea where to start within the college admission process,” Hankerson said. “It was just overwhelming for me.” Through EST, he got help with writing college essays and gathering the recommendation letters that were needed. He had no trouble when asked what part of the program was most beneficial.
“Hands down, the essay writing portion of the program,” Hankerson said. “I started in the summer before my junior year.” EST paired him with a mentor who helped in the process and taught him how to “crush a college interview,” among other things. Mentors and EST staff checked in with him often, to make sure he was on course and not too bogged down.
“They told us it would be difficult, but it would be well worth it,” Hankerson said. “I’m truly grateful for the work ethic they instilled in me.” Kyomi Ware lives in Los Angeles and will be attending Pepperdine University. She attends St. Bernard High School and looks forward to a major in pharmacology/chemistry.
According to EST, 86 percent of Americans cannot afford to attend the four-year college that they get admitted to as high school seniors. A majority of students in the United States receive financial aid. With over $17 million awarded in scholarships to EST students over the past four years, the nonprofit claims to have ‘cracked the code’ on what it takes to help foster and high-achieving low-income youth earn merit-based scholarships to pay for college.
“And we don’t forget about them after they’re admitted,” said Delahoussaye, noting the EST staff and mentors keep up with their students. 96 percent of EST scholars are on track to graduate from four-year colleges, compared to 60 percent nationally. Established in 1987, Educating Students Together was initially founded to increase awareness of our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities through campus tours. EST applied for and became a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization in May of 2002 focused on college access.
EST does not charge families in the program, but relies on donations and grants to provide free college counseling and scholarship assistance.
The EST website states that “As a Black led organization, we have a deep understanding of the barriers our students face. Our program is culturally competent and designed to address the equity gaps that disadvantaged people of color face, especially those in foster care, via three components: College Counseling and Preparation; Mentoring and Networks of Support; and Financial Education and Support.”
For more information, visit estcap.org