College: the single word that strikes fear in nearly every high school student, as well as pain into their wallets. The financial pressure of college is tremendous. However, Wylie ISD awards an annual scholarship to lighten the load-The Pearl Birmingham.
In years past, 22 scholarships were given to the graduating seniors of Wylie High School. However, with the opening of East the scholarship is now divided between the two high schools.
There are now a total of 16 scholarships in the district. Eight will go to each school: three $15,000 and five $2,500. Only the top eight students in each graduating class that have gone to Wylie schools including any summer classes for all four years of their high school career will be eligible for the scholarships. The amount awarded to each student will be dependent on good moral character, an interview, SAT and ACT scores.
With a 64 percent decrease in the number of scholarships given at each school starting in 2012, competition is sure to be fierce.
“The competition has always been there, [students] will have to be very conscious and very detailed from freshman year on,” Principal Mike Williams said.
With the competition so heated, it becomes harder to be at the top of the academic class.
“If you want to be a Birmingham Scholar or in the top 10 percent, you need to plan it out ahead of time,” Williams said.
The Birmingham Scholarship started in 1947 when Pearl Birmingham’s brother bought 1,000 shares of common oil stock in Ohio to be used for the graduating seniors of Birmingham High School.
Since 1947 the Birmingham stock has raised to nearly $2 million.
“It’s an amazing scholarship for Wylie and a very large amount [of money] for our district size,” Assistant Principal Dr. Donna Edge said.
Jessica Bogart, a 2009 Wylie High School graduate, was a Birmingham Scholar.
“I went through a rigorous audition process,” Bogart said, “I think the splitting of the funds between the two schools will increase student competition and learning.”
Bogart received a $1,100 scholarship and now attends the University of Texas at Dallas as a chemistry major.
“You have to study and do your assignments by yourself before the day it’s due, and worry more about your integrity than your rank,” Bogart said.
