MPS awards $250,000 for students going to college

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- On Wednesday, July 27, 38 Milwaukee Public School students were recognized for their hard work over the past four years.

The school district says, "After another challenging year, the MPS Foundation will celebrate 38 remarkable students and award them more than $250,000 in total scholarships, eclipsing the Foundation’s previous high."

Hundreds applied for 21 scholarships, and these select few rose to the top because of their compelling applications.

For some, high school is no easy task to navigate, between studying, extracurricular activities, and even first high school crushes it can be a lot to juggle.

Parents, students, donors and faculty members gathered at "No Studio" in Downtown Milwaukee to celebrate those recipients.

The scholarship money is being allocated to 38 students who went the extra mile, submitting their application to the donors of the MPS school system, competing with more than 800 students.

MPS administration says these awards were given to students who might have been overlooked by other financial programs.

"No one is running to them giving them scholarships." said Wendell Willis,  Milwaukee Public School Foundation executive director.

Parents are, understandably, elated for their children's hard work, saying, "I didn’t think it would be possible, I never been in this, you know have a teenager that's graduating and it was just us in the city alone."

At the award ceremony Wednesday, recipients were able to fellowship over food and music, taking in the last of their high school days.