Four Dougherty County School System middle school students were recognized Thursday for being selected as REACH Scholars for 2020, a designation that means they’ll receive a minimum of $10,000 scholarship towards college expenses. 

Makiyah Johnson, or Albany Middle;  Kalia Martin of Robert Cross; Jabari Robinson of Radium Middle and Vincent Tumblin of Merry Acres will each be awarded the scholarship when they graduate from high school and enroll in Georgia College and University. The students were showcased during a virtual signing ceremony Thursday morning.

The scholarship, which is a partnership between the Dougherty County School System, the Georgia Student Finance Commission and the Reach Georgia Foundation, is funded mostly by the State of Georgia with a portion of the funds required at the local level. This year, Georgia Pacific’s Albany Plant financed the local share of the scholarship.

The district has been awarding the scholarships since 2016. Students are required to maintain good grades, keep a good behavioral record, graduate high school and enroll in a Georgia college or University. While the base scholarship is $10,000, some Georgia colleges and universities double or even triple the amount awarded. 

Students were selected after completing an application, a review of family financial records and an interview with the REACH Scholarship panel.