Schools

'Second Chance' Scholarships Available to Boston Public School Graduates

Named in memory of Charlestown High School graduate Alray Taylor, the program helps students return to school for post-secondary degrees or certificates.

Boston public school students who are looking for a second chance at college are encouraged to apply for a scholarship program designed to help them earn that degree.

The Alray Scholars Program offers scholarships of up to $5,000 for public school students who left college early and want to go back for their degrees. The scholarship is named in memory of Alray Taylor, a Mission Hill native and Charlestown High School graduate who left college early but had plans to return when he was tragically shot just a few days before his 22nd birthday, in August 2006.

“Alray's death was crushing to the many family and friends who had been touched by his warm heart. The Alray Taylor Second Chance Scholarship was founded to honor his memory by assisting promising students in overcoming many of the same hurdles that Alray had faced during his short but unforgettable life,” according to the scholarship program website.

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Scholarship recipients can use the money at two- or four-year colleges, trade schools or for other post-secondary education and certification programs.

To be eligible, students must have graduated from a Boston public high school or charter school or received a GED after attending a Boston public school within the past 15 years. METCO students from Boston are alse eligible to apply.

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Applicants must have enrolled in a post-secondary program after high school but left without completing a degree for personal, family or educational reasons.

Applicants also should “demonstrate productivity, financial need, educational readiness and a strong desire to give back to their families, communities or larger society,” according to a press release about the scholarship program.

Along with receiving financial support and free financial aid counseling, Alray Scholars are paired with mentors who will guide them through their studies and help them graduate, according to the release.

Launched in 2008, the Alray Scholars Program has helped fund the educations of two dozen Boston public school graduates at a variety of colleges, such as Bunker Hill and Roxbury community colleges, University of Massachusetts Boston and Northeastern University.

The deadline to apply for the next round of Alray Taylor Second Chance Scholarships is Saturday, June 15. More information and application materials can be found online at alray.org or by emailing info@alray.org.


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