Mastery Schools is proud to announce that four exceptional students earned the coveted Posse Scholarship, a full-tuition award that will cover their college tuition for four years. In addition to financial assistance, students will receive comprehensive support and mentorship to ensure their success in the transition from Mastery to college. 

The Posse Scholarship is a transformative experience that identifies students with extraordinary leadership potential and provides them with a network of support among staff and other scholarship recipients. They will also receive guidance from dedicated mentors who will help them navigate both academic and personal challenges. 

This year’s winners include students from Hardy Williams High School and Shoemaker Campus. From Hardy, Iki Hawkins and Braylah Durley have received the scholarship to attend the University of Pittsburgh. From Shoemaker, Adomah Danquah will also attend the University of Pittsburgh, while Muhammed Young will make history as the first Mastery graduate to attend Cornell College. “Getting this scholarship allows me to show other people, who haven’t even dreamed of making it past high school, that they, as long as they apply themselves, can win this scholarship as well,” Young said. 

Winning the prestigious scholarship is no small job. Students endured a multi-stage selection process that included three rounds of intense interviews that evaluated academic achievements, leadership potential, teamwork skills, and the ability to overcome adversity. 

The awards for Hawkins, Durley, Danquah, and Young come one year after Shoemaker Student Abdoulaye Tounkara became the first Mastery student to receive the scholarship in 2024, and they do not take it lightly. According to Hawkins, winning this award means everything. “It means everything. I think it will help me, my family, my friends, and let them know I have a future, and what I do and will do does matter,” he said. 

Mastery Schools remains committed to ensuring ALL students earn the personal and academic skills they need to succeed and pursue their dreams after graduation.