JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – I Am the Prize, a local nonprofit organization, has offered $1,000 in scholarships to support students impacted by gun violence.
I Am the Prize founder Tia Coleman created the scholarship to assist young students who faced similar experiences she faced and to give back to her community.
“It’s always been a goal of mine to be able to give a scholarship opportunity to students who lose a parent to gun violence because that was my story,” Coleman said.
Coleman lost her father, a former police officer, to gun violence when she was in elementary school.
“Here we are today in 2024 with gun violence being so prevalent in the Jacksonville community, I wanted to be able to offer that resource to a student,” Coleman said.
The requirements for the scholarship are:
- 2.5 GPA
- Graduating high school senior
- Enrollment into accredited college for fall 2024
- Loss of parent to gun violence
- Essay submission
I Am the Prize teaches young girls, ages 10-17, how to thrive as entrepreneurs while building their self-esteem.
“I think that when we address entrepreneurship education in the classrooms, we’re directly addressing poverty and crime,” Coleman said.
She believes it will motivate students to learn and understand finances. Coleman has students like Honesty Johnson, who recently graduated from the program with plans to attend Clark Atlanta University.
“She’s truly a blessing to me and my family, and she has helped me in various ways such as my challenging life situations as well as encouraging me to do better,” Johnson told News4JAX.
For more information on I Am the Prize and how to apply for the scholarship visit www.iamtheprize.org.