For Gates scholarship winners, friendly competition paid off

Only 1,000 of the tens of thousands of annual applicants are awarded a Gates Millenium Scholarship, which covers all costs for any college the recipient attends.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Only 1,000 of the tens of thousands of annual applicants are awarded a Gates Millenium Scholarship, which covers all costs for any college the recipient attends.


Metro Atlanta winners of Gates Millenium scholarships this year:

Oluwatomisin Adelusi, Brookwood High School

Yusra Ahmedin, Chamblee Charter High School

Muhozi Aimable, Clarkston High School

Jabari Ajao, McIntosh High School

Angelina Allen, Rockdale County High School

Micheline Amisi, Archer High School

Kim An, Clarkston High School

Andre Armour, Riverdale High School

Osei Avril, Pace Academy

Kiara Bass, Westlake High School

Njeri Bennett, Arabia Mountain High School

Idalis Boyd, Jonesboro High School

Tluang Cer, Clarkston High School

Brian Chung, Peachtree Ridge High School

Deona Clayton, McNair High School

Divine Collins, Drew High School

Jonathan Conde-Peraza, Meadowcreek High School

Joirdin Cooper, Washington High School Early College

Demeisha Crowley, Washington High School Banking, Finance and Investment

Paula Deroseney, Dacula High School

Aye Diallo, Pebblebrook High School

Amera Dixon, Arabia Mountain High School

Thien Do, Norcross High School

Diandra Dwyer, Pope High School

Ifeoma Ekwuocha, Lovejoy High School

Samuel Emmah, Morrow High School

Isai Flores, Campbell High School

Josselyn Garcia, Norcross High School

Melekot Girma, North Cobb Christian School

Peri Green, Southwest DeKalb High School

Hildana Haileyesus, Parkview High School

Mary Harris, North Atlanta High School

Benazir Haseen, Norcross High School

Hassan Hassen, South Cobb High School

Andrew Ho, Morrow High School

Vy Huynh, Stone Mountain High School

Chinye Ijeli, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science & Technology

Kingsley Iyawe, School Of Technology At Carver

Brandon Johnson, Shiloh High School

Stuart Johnson, Wesleyan School

Ashton Jordan, Dunwoody High School

Ekue Kangni, Stone Mountain High School

Nabilah Khanam, Meadowcreek High School

Malcom King, Washington High School Early College

Shariff Lee-Brown, Early College High School At Carver

Avanti Lemons, Grady High School

Chao Lin, Cross Keys High School

Thaxton Lipscomb, Mountain View High School

DeJuan McBurnie, Sprayberry High School

Gabrielle McCall, Westlake High School

Sharod McClendon, BEST Academy High School

Caridad Milanes, Meadowcreek High School

Aqib Momin, Rockdale County High School

Ruqiyah Mukarram, School Of Health Sciences And Research At Carver

Ya Daba Njie, Therrell School Of Engineering, Math And Science

Ure Obasi, Morrow High School

Simone Paul, Westlake High School

Austin Peete, Dutchtown High School

Brexton Pham, Kennesaw Mountain High School

Stephen Richardson, Washington High School Early College

Amri Rigby, Woodward Academy

Quasi Roque, Washington High School Banking, Finance and Investment

Ivan Sanchez, Marietta High School

James Scott, Douglass High School

David Shoneye, Arabia Mountain High School

Anna Smith, The School Of The Arts At Carver

David Smith, Lithonia High School

Samantha Smith, Whitewater High School

Chelse-Amoy Steele, Rockdale County High School

Juwon Thompson, Arabia Mountain High School

Thi Thong, Stone Mountain High School

Brittany White, South Cobb High School

Romie Williams, Mt. Zion High School

Romyko Winston, Douglass High School

Annie Yang, North Gwinnett High School

Source: Gates Foundation.

Norcross High School senior Josselyn Garcia kept the big news about her college scholarship a secret.

A classmate had applied for the same scholarship — the Gates Millenium Scholarship — and Garcia, 18, wanted him to get it too.

Soon, Garcia learned not only did that classmate, Thien Do, 17, get the scholarship, but another classmate, Benazir Haseen, 17, was awarded one as well.

Three Gates scholars from one high school is remarkable enough. But these three Norcross students attended the same Gwinnett County elementary school and middle school.

“It’s kind of a miracle,” Haseen said.

Only 1,000 of the tens of thousands of annual applicants are awarded a Gates Millenium Scholarship, which covers all costs for any college the recipient attends. It was started in 1999 through a $1 billion grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The scholarship helps minority students with financial need who are interested in fields where minorities are underrepresented, such as science, math, and engineering.

The three friends are very different, but also alike. They come from different parts of the globe and are keenly aware of the difficulties of being a newcomer. Like most teenagers, they laugh simultaneously. They thanked their guidance counselor and others for their academic success, and are modest.

For example, when asked who’s the best student, no one is willing to claim that title. They agree Garcia studies the hardest.

The students first attended Norcross Elementary School. Do and Garcia met in the fourth grade. Do’s family immigrated from Vietnam and he spoke little English. Garcia “was the first one to talk to me,” Do recalled.

Garcia’s family came to America from Peru when she was four, so she knew what it felt like to be the outsider. Do wrote a note in her yearbook to thank her for helping him adjust.

Haseen, whom friends call Ben, met Do next. They bonded over their shared love of Asian-styled television cartoons. Haseen and her family immigrated to the United States from Bangladesh. Garcia and Haseen thought each other were nice and often rode the bus home together. All three began a friendly competition to make the honor roll.

“It kept us motivated,” Garcia said.

At Summerour Middle School, Haseen persuaded Do to play the violin with her in the school orchestra. Garcia played the flute in the school band. The academic rivalry morphed into a musical one. Eventually, they gave up music, however. Books came first.

At Norcross High, Do and Garcia took more classes together. All three remained friends, but didn’t hang out much. Again, books came first.

None, though, were optimistic about winning a Gates scholarship.

When Do learned in a letter he won the scholarship, he made the announcement on Facebook. Garcia cried with joy. Unbeknownst to Do and Garcia, Haseen had also applied. Similar emotions emerged when they learned she was in, too. They posted the news on social media together with their award certificates.

The three students say they spend more time together now that they’ve won the scholarships. That may change, though, with the possibility that they attend different colleges. Garcia is planning to go to Emory. Haseen wants to attend Georgia State University’s Honor College, a highly selective program. Do is undecided about his college plans.

Do notes that the Gates program brings the students together frequently, so he’s optimistic they’ll keep in touch.

Gwinnett school officials have scheduled a ceremony Thursday to honor all of this year’s recipients. Do, Garcia and Haseen said they were uncertain whether they could attend. They’re studying for final exams.

Yes, books come first.