Last night Molly Blakley and I attended the Dollars for Scholars event. This is the night when seniors who participated in the ACE Mentoring Program are treated to a dinner followed by presentations of scholarships in the fields of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction.  Molly and I were mentors at East High School and we were thrilled to watch Journi walk up to the front and accept a check for $6,000.  She has chosen an Architecture major at Kansas State.

Nelson Garcia, education reporter for Channel 9 News, spoke at the event and presented some inspirational stories of students, teachers, and individuals who have inspired him.  They all had something in common: they overcame obstacles with a persistent strength of character and affected those around them in positive ways.  He said that the ACE Program and its mentors are “building something great.”  Nelson closed by saying that “In order to be a great person, you must do great things.  In order to do great things, you must never be afraid to try or to fail.”  He encouraged the students to go forward in their college careers with the confidence that they have benefited from the ACE Mentoring Program experience and to continue to take on new challenges without fear.  These students are entering a new phase in their lives and we wish them the very best!