Parker, Arizona - Sidney Has No Horses, a senior from Parker High School in the Arizona Western College Upward Bound program, was recently awarded a $20,000 scholarship during MTV’s TRL show.
Sidney was the first of five students to receive a scholarship as part of TRL’s “Tuition Request Live” week, where a total of $100,000 was awarded through a partnership with the Get Schooled organization. More than 2,500 students between the ages of 14 and 24 wrote essays and submitted applications for a chance to win a portion of the funds. Sidney wrote her essay on the uniqueness of her last name and what it means to her. After receiving word that she was a finalist and also submitting a video of herself, she was flown to New York City for the taping of the show, which aired on October 9. A link to the TRL segment of Sidney receiving her scholarship check can be found here:
.In the future, Sidney hopes to attend Northern Arizona University to pursue a PhD in Astronomy and Physics. She has been a part of the Upward Bound program through Arizona Western College in Parker for the past four years and it has helped to prepare her for college.
Upward Bound, a federally funded educational program, is designed to increase the academic skills and motivational levels of low-income and/or first-generation college students to the extent that they will complete high school and successfully enter a post-secondary educational program and graduate. Services through the program include academic instruction, tutoring, academic advisement, preparation in college entrance exams, counseling, and social and personal development.
“It’s pretty exciting for sure. Sidney followed through and it all paid off. I always tell the students that even for the very competitive scholarships somebody has to win. Oftentimes students think, ‘Well I don’t have any chance of winning.’ Sidney felt like she didn’t have much chance of winning either, she obviously was surprised. I don’t think she knew she was going to win until she actually did,” said Andy Wheatley, Upward Bound coordinator.
“Sidney is a great kid. She’s been in Upward Bound since freshman year and she’s just an all-around good student. She’s really blossomed as she’s grown older.”