Twenty-seven recent high school graduates from Harris County are one step closer to their dreams with the help of Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) and the Education Foundation of Harris County (EFHC), the philanthropic arm of HCDE.

The students, who were awarded a 2023 Partners In Education Scholarship, were each presented with a $2,500 scholarship check by Education Foundation and Community Development Director Cindy Tan on Wednesday as HCDE leaders, family, and friends looked on.

Partners in Education scholarships are intended for graduating seniors who plan to pursue an education at a community college or vocational school and do not have the financial support to follow their path. This year marks the second round of the Foundation’s scholarship initiative. Sixty-seven applications were submitted for consideration by area students.

For Sandy Hernandez, a recent graduate of J. Frank Dobie High School in Pasadena ISD, the scholarship will help her pursue her goal to become a nurse after a tornado devastated her community in January. 

“With the scholarship, I’m planning on using the money for the technology that I need after the tornado happened,” said Hernandez. “I had to help my mom with expenses from being evicted from our apartment due to the damage. So, of course, money is tight. We bought a laptop, but I’m making payments on it. This scholarship money will help me with an iPad I need for nursing school to take down all my notes.”

In the fall, Hernandez will begin taking pre-requisite nursing classes at San Jacinto College.

To learn more about the Education Foundation of Harris County, visit hcde-texas.org/efhc.