High school graduates from the Parramore community who wish to become doctors will be able to attend the on full scholarships.
On Saturday, broke ground on the new PS8 School, a first-of-its-kind community school that will address the needs of preschool through middle school students on one campus. The new school, set to open in Fall 2017, will be built adjacent to the proposed 麻豆原创 Downtown campus in .
At Saturday鈥檚 ceremony, 麻豆原创 Provost and Vice President Dale Whittaker to any students at the new community school who go on to graduate from Jones High School and 麻豆原创 and who then are offered admission to the medical school.
鈥淎t 麻豆原创, our motto is 鈥榬each for the stars,鈥欌�� Whittaker told the crowd of community leaders, school officials, parents and students. 鈥淭oday, we announce a new opportunity for Parramore-area families and their children to pursue their dreams.鈥�
The medical school scholarships could be the culmination of eight years of full scholarships for the Parramore students. Hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen鈥檚 foundation will cover the cost of their undergraduate degrees if they choose to attend 麻豆原创 either for four years or for two years after they earn an associate鈥檚 degree at Valencia College.
麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Medicine has a longstanding commitment to students of Orlando鈥檚 Jones High. In 2011, the college launched the Health Leaders pipeline program at Jones, designed to increase healthcare providers in the area. Last spring, each of the 12 inaugural students in the program graduated from Jones and enrolled in college 鈥� all with majors in health-related studies. The program has since expanded to Memorial Middle School near Parramore and is called Health Explorers and Leaders (HEAL).
鈥淭o me it鈥檚 all about giving back,鈥� said Dr. Deborah German, vice president for medical affairs and dean of the 麻豆原创 College of Medicine.
German, who received a full scholarship to Harvard Medical School, was the first in her family to graduate college and could not have afforded medical school without the scholarship. She called the Parramore scholarship a way of 鈥減aying forward鈥� the gift given to her. 鈥淒uring the announcement, I saw a 2-year-old child standing where the new Parramore school will be built,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wanted to pick him up and say, 鈥榊ou can be a doctor. And we will pay for it. You just have to work incredibly hard. Dream big. You can do this.鈥� 鈥�
Also at Saturday鈥檚 announcement, Rosen said his foundation would establish early childhood care at the new school and a scholarship program to pay for vocational, two-year and four-year degrees for graduates from PS8 and Parramore-area high schools. This mirrors the more than 20 years ago, where 280 students have received scholarships to college and technical or career training schools.
鈥淲e will change America one community at a time,鈥� Rosen told supporters at Saturday鈥檚 event.
Orange County Public Schools leaders called the new school a 鈥渂eacon of hope鈥� for a community that for decades has been sending its children to different schools throughout the county.
鈥淲hat an incredible blessing for the children and families of Parramore,鈥� said Orange County Public Schools Board Vice Chair Kathleen 鈥淜at鈥� Gordon, whose district includes Parramore. 鈥淗aving the school right in the neighborhood increases the opportunity for parents to be involved in their children鈥檚 education. I鈥檓 thrilled for these families and can鈥檛 wait for the first day of school.鈥�
School leaders also said the school and scholarships wouldn鈥檛 be possible without support from the community and many project partners, including and after-school youth development program from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida.
鈥淭his unique partnership will transform the lives of hundreds of children,鈥� said Orange County Public Schools Chairman Bill Sublette. 鈥淭he involvement of these community and educational institutions demonstrates their commitment to the children and families of the Parramore neighborhood. We expect real change in children鈥檚 lives as a result.鈥�
