Scholarships funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have been awarded to 14 students in Atlanta Public Schools, which had the most scholarship winners of any school district in Georgia.

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program chooses 1,000 students each year for scholarships to any college or university of their choice. The program’s website says its goal is to promote academic excellence to minority students with financial need.

Atlanta Superintendent Erroll Davis said he’s reassured to see students earn prestigious awards at a time when perception of academic programs has suffered.