- Ridgeview Middle School
- Homepage
CCS Middle School Students Accepted into Young Scholars Program
September 3, 2021 -- Forty-two eighth-graders from Columbus City Schools have been accepted into the Young Scholars Program (YSP) at The Ohio State University because of their academic performance and potential leadership skills.
“The Young Scholars Program mentors students beginning in the eighth grade,” said Dr. Chila Thomas, Executive Director, Young Scholars Program, Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Ohio State. “We mentor these students during all four years of high school and for all four years of college at Ohio State.”
Eighth-grade students selected for the YSP must maintain at least a 3.3 GPA, attend monthly workshops, visit the OSU campus, following all health and safety protocols, and meet with OSU professors and student leaders during their high school summer breaks. The average YSP scholarship award is about $15,000 for each semester.
“This is a very intense program for students who demonstrate a scholarly mindset by the eighth grade,” said Jimmie Beall, Middle School Resource Counselor, Columbus City Schools. “We begin cultivating these students early, so they see the prize of going to college is accessible.”
Below you will find the list of students who have been accepted into the 2021 8th grade cohort of the Young Scholars Program:
- Raquia Aden (Wedgewood Middle School)
- Awat Ahmed (Wedgewood Middle School)
- Ilhaan Bilal (Wedgewood Middle School)
- Rebekah Booker (Sherwood Middle School)
- Aden Brown (South 7-12)
- Jontae Coleman (Champion Middle School)
- Isse Dahir (Wedgewood Middle School)
- Cier’Raii Edwards (Hilltonia Middle School)
- Vanessa Galvan-Salinas (Hilltonia Middle School)
- Maleah Garland (Columbus City Preparatory School for Girls)
- Siobhan Garland (Columbus North International School)
- Damon Griffin, Jr. (South 7-12)
- Kamorra Hammond (Yorktown Middle School)
- Jefferson Hernandez (Mifflin Middle School)
- Taishon Jefferson (South 7-12)
- Ivet Jeronimo Pantaleon (Dominion Middle School)
- Dezjira Johnson (South 7-12)
- Maheleyet Kidane (Dominion Middle School)
- Eiyah Men-Young (Arts Impact Middle School)
- Carmelo Munoz (Hilltonia Middle School)
- Emily Navarrete (Hilltonia Middle School)
- Mouhamed Ndiaye (Berwick Alternative K - 8)
- Minh Ngo (Mifflin Middle School)
- Yassin Pablo Jimenez (Dominion Middle School)
- Soledad Reyes-Palomino (Hilltonia Middle School)
- Na’Kai Roland (Columbus Africentric Early College K - 12)
- Ne’Vaeh Ross-Wright (Medina Middle School)
- Yulisa Salinas Jacinto (Columbus North International School)
- Oumar Sall (Arts Impact Middle School)
- Rose Sanabria Nieves (Hilltonia Middle School)
- Edna Seshie (Yorktown Middle School)
- Jayden Smith (Columbus Africentric Early College K - 12)
- Sheyonni Stokes (Medina Middle School)
- Alecsis Tuggle (Hilltonia Middle School)
- Jeffrey Valdivieso (South 7-12)
- Maija Watkins (Ridgeview Middle School)
- Daryl Willis (South 7-12)
- Lamerra Wilson (Yorktown Middle School)
- Katherine Hernandez (Columbus City Preparatory School for Girls)
- Rhyann Mattox (Sherwood Middle School)
- Zaria Hooker (Johnson Park Middle School)
The Young Scholars Program started in 1988 as an initiative from the OSU President’s office to allow first-generation students from nine major cities in Ohio to go to college.
“We are so excited to be taking an active part in the academic, personal and professional journey of these middle school students,” said Trina Phillips, Young Scholars Program coordinator.
Congratulations to the 42 Columbus City Schools middle school students on this accomplishment!