Rising senior at Winona High School awarded $40k scholarship

WINONA, Miss. (WCBI) – A Winona High School senior learned why it’s important to be prepared. Her time and planning will pay for college.

She was awarded a $40,000 scholarship.

Big Future College Board is a digital resource for students to plan for college and or a career.

Hannah Stanley learned why just a few clicks and a little bit of time can make a big impact on your future.

What seemed like an ordinary day of information for Winona high schoolers became an awarding day for upcoming senior Hannah Stanley.

She is one of the two people in the United States, in the month of June, to receive a $40,000 scholarship from Big Future College Board.

“Very surprise, I didn’t know anything about it,” Stanley said.

Stanley said she doesn’t remember exactly how she found out about the Big Future College Board, but she knew she needed a way to pay for college.

“I come from a low-income family for a long time, so scholarships are a huge thing. I know that I mostly pay for college through scholarships,” Stanley said.

Stanley’s mother, Leanne Woodall, said Hannah, her twin sister, and her stepsister are all upcoming seniors. So, the money is needed, and she too is grateful for the surprise.

“She’s worked really hard; she’s done great on her ACTs. I am so proud, so proud; she really makes me proud,” Woodall said.

Big Future College Board believes college preparedness is an individual journey.

“It has to start early, and it has to be your own; you have to be able to carve your own path,” Rios said.

The company said the online process is easy and rewarding for everyone.

“Steps like building your college list, applying to FASFA being able to do a career search are all essential steps smalls steps to be able to make a real plan,” Rios said.

And just by planning ahead, Stanley is thinking about what’s best for her and what’s next in her journey.

“Then, I found my love for children so I just really wanted to do that and I knew that during high school it’s tough. You don’t know everything and I want to help people do that,” Stanley said.

Big Future College Board awards the $40,000 scholarship every month to two individuals in the U.S.

For more information, visit bigfuture.collegeboard.org

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