Getting Closer to Her Dream | Palatka Daily News, Palatka, Florida

Interlachen senior gets further to program that pays for college

Williams smiles with her mom, Ashely Cassels, after finding out she became one of 12 state finalists for a fellowship program.
Interlachen Junior-Senior High School senior Sidney Williams smiles with her mom and school district officials after they surprised her during a weightlifting practice on Wednesday to tell her she was moving to the next round in her bid to be a Leader 4 Life.
Williams
Positively Putnam FL

An Interlachen Junior-Senior High School student became one of 12 state finalists Wednesday for a leadership fellowship that could benefit her college education.

Sidney Williams, a 16-year-old senior, smiled wide as an entourage of supporters surprised her during weightlifting practice with flowers, balloons and the announcement she was one step closer to becoming a Leader 4 Life.

The fellowship opportunity came as part of the Take Stock in Children program in which Williams is involved. Six of the 12 finalists will be chosen Dec. 7 and the opportunity could provide up to $10,000 per year to Williams if she attends a four-year public state university.

As part of being a finalist, she also received a MacBook computer for her schoolwork.

“It means a lot to me. …As a kid in Putnam County. We are very poor in this county and I really need this scholarship to help me succeed in college, which is one of my main goals in life,” Williams said. “To be recognized as a big part of our community means a lot to me.”

Her mother, Ashely Cassels, said Williams’ dream school is Florida State University, where she hopes to double major in chemistry and criminal justice.

“She has always been very motivated. From a super young age, she has had her own dreams and aspirations and she has always really worked hard for them,” Cassels said.

Williams is a member of the school’s varsity volleyball, varsity soccer and weightlifting teams.

Her mom said she also is a member of the school’s National Honor Society, works at Winn-Dixie when she is not playing sports and volunteers at her church.

“She stays busy,” Cassels said. “There’s very rarely a downtime.”

The next step in the fellowship process is submitting a video interview by Nov. 1 with the help of teachers, coaches, community members and counselors.

Wendy Hansford, has been Williams’ Take Stock in Children mentor for six months. Her job is to be a coach or guide academically and help Williams make the best use of her Take Stock scholarship, which is already guaranteed outside the fellowship opportunity.

The nonprofit organization partners students who come from low-income families with mentors to help them succeed.

Take Stock students graduate with a two-year prepaid scholarship for an in-state school. But the scholarship does not take care of all of a students’ college expenses.

“So, we definitely just have to keep looking and exploring other opportunities of how can we make sure (Williams’) hopes and dreams come true,” Hansford said. “And this is just a huge way for her to be able to afford to go to FSU. … Just knowing that she’s so close to having her dreams come true, that just makes it all worth it.”