The University of Washington’s Dream Project — composed of several hundred college students passionate about education — celebrated the success of four Federal Way High School students, along with 18 other local high school students, each of whom were recipients of the “Live the Dream” scholarship on May 13. Using funds that are raised by the college student mentors, the scholarship is awarded to dedicated University of Washington-bound high school students who demonstrated hard work and avid participation within the Dream Project.

From the spring of their junior year to the winter of their senior year, Dream Project mentors worked with Federal Way High School students on college preparation tasks, including completing college applications, writing personal statements and applying for financial aid. Amidst these processes, college mentors keep an eye out for certain mentees who exhibit an exemplary sense of initiative and dedication, and who they believe would considerable candidates for the scholarship. Mentors nominate students for the scholarship and a scholarship committee made up of college student leaders and community members choose the recipients.

The four Federal Way High School students who received scholarships include Jenesis Garcia, who will major in ethnic studies; Manu Fifita, who will major in mechanical engineering; Raeann Ashley Manalang, nursing; and Miriam Prieto-Vital, forensic psychology. All four students plan to attend the University of Washington Seattle.

For the past 10 years, the Dream Project has been carrying out its mission of assisting low-income and first-generation high school students in attaining higher education, while at the same time raising awareness among university students about the issues of educational opportunity and social mobility.

The project has made many milestones serving the target populations, (Seattle, Highline, Auburn, Federal Way, Tukwila, Kent and Renton school districts) and the “Live the Dream” scholarship is just a step further in achieving the mission.

Funding for the scholarship is raised through a combination of an established endowment, individual unsolicited donations throughout the year, and once a goal has been identified, a series of strategic student-led fundraising efforts.

In 2015, several families generously donated to the scholarship fund, and student leaders secured a matching gift for up to $5,000 from a long-time friend of the program, allowing more scholarships to be given out than any other year in the history of Dream Project.