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Massachusetts High School Student Returns Award at Ceremony
Verda Tetteh, a 17-year-old Fitchburg, Mass., high school student, received a $40,000 merit scholarship at her graduation ceremony. Ms. Tetteh returned the award, saying the money should go to someone pursuing a community college education.
“This award is a $10,000 annual scholarship graciously established by the Progin family in memory of George K. Progin, an alumnus of Fitchburg High School. The award is renewable annually for four years of undergraduate college education. I am very honored to announce this year’s recipients, Verda Tetteh and Zachary Scott.” [applause] “I am so very grateful for this, but I also know that I am not the one who needs this the most, and knowing my mom went to community college and how much that was helpful, I would be so very grateful if administration, would consider giving the general excellence scholarship to someone who is going into community college because I know it is
"I am so very grateful for this but I also know that I am not the one who needs this the most," Harvard-bound scholar Verda Tetteh said before her classmates.
This Harvard-bound grad won a $40K scholarship â and promptly gave it away
Verda Tetteh says she was honoured when her high school awarded her with a $40,000 US scholarship during her graduation ceremony. But she knew almost immediately that she couldnât keep it.
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Verda Tetteh was thinking about her mom who went to community college when she decided to give the prize away
CBC Radio ·
Posted: Jun 10, 2021 5:58 PM ET | Last Updated: June 10
Verda Tetteh, centre, is pictured in her high school graduation cap and gown, flanked by her mother, Rosemary Annan, left, and stepfather Leslie Barnor, right.(Submitted by Verda Tetteh)
Most high school grads would gladly take $40,000 in scholarships to help pay for expenses in college. But Verda Tetteh isn't most high school graduates.