Four Arlington high school students who are also illegal immigrants were awarded college scholarships Thursday.
Dream Project, Inc. gave $2,000 awards to students who showed academic excellence, community service, financial need and perseverance in the face of adversity, said Emma Violand-Sanchez, member of the Arlington County School Board and founder of the project.
Undocumented students are barred from most college financial aid and are forced to pay out-of-state tuition in Virginia, so it’s important they get scholarships, Violand-Sanchez said.
That’s what prompted her to found the project.
“We met with some of our students and their families, and they expressed great dismay as they were getting ready to graduate from school they didn’t know which colleges they go to,” she said.
