Horatio Alger National Scholars In the News

Scholarship Honors Hard Luck Learners

The Washington Post
Nelson Hernandez
March 27, 2008

More than 100 years after Horatio Alger's heyday as an author of rags-to-riches stories, something about his tales remains the essence of American idealism: the idea that with a lot of pluck and a little luck, even the poorest can attain middle-class security and happiness.

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Student Focusing on Science to Take Him Places

Staten Island Advance
Jillian Jorgensen
June 10, 2007

Hermain Khan has won a lot of awards. The Staten Island Tech senior was the only Intel Science Talent Search finalist in the city, he won the New York Times College Scholarship and the Albert Shanker College Scholarship, and he is being followed around by a documentary crew making a film called "Whiz Kids." But he believes that one award stands out: a $20,000 scholarship from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, given to students who overcome adversity.

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Rags to Riches Story

Daily Courier
Patti Richter
June 8, 2007

When Lisa Esposito walks across the state at Grant Pass High School to accept her diploma Friday night, she will have achieved her longtime goal. The 17-year-old senior knows it isn't a lofty goal, especially when compared to the goals set by some of her classmates. Then again, she is not a typical high school senior.

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Complete Package Makes Mad Dash for Scholarships

The Valley Independent
Chris Buckley
June 4, 2007

Kera Package faced a wonderful opportunity blanketed in a dilemma: to simultaneously be in two places to receive national scholarships. But for the Charleroi Area High School senior who has overcome adversity throughout her life, it was a challenge that provided a lifetime of opportunity. The dilemma Package faced in was how to be in Washington, D.C., to accept the Horatio Alger Scholarship and in Atlanta to accept a Coca-Cola scholarship during the same week in mid-April. Attendance is necessary to accept each scholarship.

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Two Berlin High Students Get National Recognition

The Berlin Daily Sun
Barbara Tetreault
May 24, 2007

Two Berlin High School seniors have won prestigious national scholarships. Kendra A. Parent beat out 35,000 applicants to be named a 2007 Horatio Alger National Scholar, which carries a $20,000 scholarship. Arielle Arsenault was named a national winner in the 2006-07 Principal's Leadership Award Scholarship Program, which carries a $1,000 scholarship.

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'Every situation can be overcome'
Williamsville teen's academic, athletic success stems from decision to fight adversity

The State Journal Register
Pete Sherman
May 7, 2007

Ryan Courson, a senior at Williamsville High School, remembers stepping into his mother's Ford Expedition sometime in January of his freshman year. They were on their way to one of his high school basketball games. He had just finished meeting with an attorney in Springfield, giving a statement relating to a custody dispute between his mother, Danna, and his father, Greg. Ryan was about 14 at the time.

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He Knew Integrity Had Value, But.

Florida- Times Union
Teresa Stepzinski
May 6, 2007

Duane Carver's life sounds like a road map for a dropout. He, his sister and his divorced mom were homeless for a time. At one point they lived in a car. They were given shelter in an unheated church and later lived in a rodent-infested house. But Carter laid out a plan and stuck to it.

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Matthew Park receives $20,000 Horatio Alger National Scholarship

Cleveland Daily Banner
April 23, 2007

Walker Valley High School can now add a national scholarship winner to its list of distinguished faculty, staff and students. Senior Matthew Park was recently named one of 105 distinguished high school students to be awarded the Horatio Alger National Scholarship for 2007. The Walker Valley student is the son of Shannan Park and Robby Park.

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$20,000 Scholarship Buys a Little Relief

The Kansas City Star
Jill Sederstrom
February 10, 2007

One senior at Oak park High School just got $20,000 wealthier - but it wasn't without a lot of hard work and determination. The money is a college scholarship given to students across the nation who have overcome significant adversity. Oak Par High School student Sohail Jouya is one of two students in Missouri to be named a 2007 Horatio Alger National Scholar.

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Big Dreams, Big Heart
Determined Student Awarded Scholarship

The Myrtle Beach Sun News
Aliana Ramos
January 28, 2007

Slice, Slice, Slice. Ignoring the chaos of a full commercial kitchen behind him, 18-year-old Alphonso Beckmon wields his knife at just the right angle to cut slabs of chicken into thick slivers. There is no wavering, no stopping, just precision and a determination to get the task completed, and completed well.

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