MILWAUKEE — The senior class at one Milwaukee area high school has received nearly $13 million in college scholarship money. It should come as no surprise that the students who've earned that money have a bright future ahead of them.
Collectively, the senior class at Saint Anthony's High School has earned $12.8 million in scholarship money — that's the highest in school history and will allow these students to pursue a college degree without immense financial stress.
"I'll be the first one to go to college from my family," said Omar Vazquez proudly. "The first one to graduate too."
Vazquez is heading to MSOE in the fall. Diana Zahran is also staying close to home.
"I am going to be attending Marquette University on a full ride with EOP, which is a program for 1st generation students" she explained.
Up to this point they've shared a similar path, and a similar goal — making their parents proud. Diana says she feels a responsibility alongside her siblings.
"They came to America for us, to have a better education so I want to take that opportunity and pursue it."
Noemy Diaz will deliver this year's valedictorian speech and she's still searching for the right words to say to her classmates.
"I don't know the message overall, but you know, it's getting there," she said with a smile.
What she does know, is that the scholarship money she's earned will help her get started at UW Madison.
"Because I come from a low-income household that was probably the number one factor I had in choosing a college."
Rosalinda Munoz is on her way to Mount Mary University — with a full-ride scholarship, something she knows comes as a relief to her father.
"We were talking about college and I could just see the tiredness in his eyes, the stress."
She says her dad dreamed of going to law school, but now Rosalinda plans to become an immigration or family lawyer and keep working to make her parents proud.
"They came here with nothing in hopes to give me everything and I just want to make my dreams and their dreams come true."
Over 95% of the senior class is on track to be handed a diploma on Saturday, June 3 and that graduation rate is expected to break another school record.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
