Scholarship Recipients
October 22, 2021
G.E.R.M. Scholars Inc. is proud to announce the winners of their Second Annual Scholarship!
- Haley Sanchez, c/o 2021, graduate of Steinbrenner High School
In her personal essay, Haley openly shared how her father was deported early in her life. Through her mother’s strength and resilience in providing for her and her sister as a single mom, Haley learned how to overcome adversity and build up the courage to challenge the norms and all that life throws at you.
While at Steinbrenner High, Haley was involved in a number of organizations including: National Honor Society, National BETA Club, Girls Code, Inc., Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society) and the Steinbrenner VEX Robotics Competitive Team where she served as both Captain and Programming Lead.
During her fight, she gained a profound introspection, maintained an invaluable positive mindset, and exhibited unyielding determination that awarded her with undergraduate admission to MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Congratulations Haley! We at G.E.R.M. Scholars, Inc. are so happy and excited to be a part of your journey at MIT!
September 8, 2020
G.E.R.M. Scholars Inc. is proud to announce the winners of their First Annual Scholarship!
- Alexandra Berrios, c/o 2020, graduate of Gaither High School
. - Savannah Sharpe, c/o 2020, graduate of Sickles High School
Each of these young ladies are winners of a $1,000 G.E.R.M. Scholars, Inc. Scholarship!
Alexandra, in her personal essay, detailed how seeing firsthand the importance of equal healthcare while organizing a humanitarian project in Peru. Her two week trip served as her catalyst to pursue a Biomedical Science degree at USF. She will use this degree to become a Cardiovascular or Neurosurgeon and 'offer pro bono work to those families and individuals that are not able to afford medical treatment.'
In her essay, Savannah shared how her passion for Criminal Law and interest in politics turned her towards pursuing a Political Science/Pre-law major at Howard University. Watching the National news, observing 'police brutality at a disproportionate rate' and researching into the cases of The Exonerated Five and Kalief Browder, provided her with the spark to work towards obtaining her Juris Doctorate in order to 'be a part of the movement to correct the injustices and hardships that poor, vulnerable kids in America face every day'.
Savannah is a member both the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society and holds a number of academic distinctions, including achieving top 10% class ranking, and is an active volunteer with her community with over 150 community service hours.
Alexandra is also a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and the Beta Honor Society, where she served as President. Alexandra's academic awards include the Oxbridge Academic Achievement Program Award and the NJROTC Academic Award.
G.E.R.M. Scholars, Inc is proud to award Alexandra and Savannah their $1,000 Scholarships and look forward to awarding and blessing more scholars in the years to come.
G.E.R.M. stands for Giving Essential Resources to Minorities and is the key point to the nonprofit's vision: To ensure that deserving students from single parent homes in underprivileged neighborhoods in the Tampa Bay Area are equipped with the resources they need to successfully start their secondary education.
The scholarship criteria included an unweighted G.P.A. of 3.2+, proof of single parent household, community service hours and a personal essay topic: "You are writing your autobiography, describe an experience in your life that motivated you to pursue a higher education degree."