DALTON, Ga. — Guadalupe Villatoro beamed as her daughter, Astrid Villatoro Martinez, and five fellow Dalton Middle School classmates were inducted into the REACH Scholars program recently. 

REACH (Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen) Georgia is a needs-based mentorship and scholarship program that begins in eighth grade. The program is run by the Georgia Student Finance Authority. Students in the program must maintain a 2.5 grade point average and exhibit good behavior and meet attendance criteria through middle school and high school. Students who successfully complete the program and graduate from high school are awarded a $10,000 scholarship to any HOPE-eligible institution in Georgia. The program is funded by donations from businesses and money provided by the General Assembly and school systems.

Dalton Middle hosted its second REACH Georgia Scholarship Signing Day. The other students in the program are Paco Francisco, Linda Olvera Jones, Yuliana Maldonado, Damian Medina and Elliott Miller. 

Villatoro said she’s happy for her daughter.

“I’m proud she (will get) this scholarship because college is important,” she said.

Martinez said having more opportunities for college feels good.

“I know there is a bigger chance I’ll succeed,” she said.  

Jennifer Phinney, director of school support for Dalton Public Schools, said the REACH program is one of the favorite things she’s involved with in her position.

“This year we added six new scholars,” she said. “It’s a very exciting time for all of us.”

Last year five students from Dalton Middle School were inducted into the program.

Phinney said the process starts in seventh grade with the recommendation of a teacher. Students must fill out an application, have good grades and provide references. REACH is in 103 school districts across Georgia with more than 12,000 students participating.  

Dalton Middle School counselor Damaris Natola introduced each student during the Signing Day event. She said:

• Francisco is active in church and has seven medals for soccer from playing on the school’s team.

• Jones is smart, creative and interested in politics.

• Maldonado is known for a “strong work ethic and being a positive light.” 

• Martinez is an honors student. 

• Medina enjoys football and earned the Principal Award for having good grades.

• Miller is a member of the Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.

Don Amonett, interim superintendent for Dalton Public Schools, said he’s proud the program has been extended into a second year. 

“That’s one of the great things about REACH, it allows us to invest in the future,” he said.

Amonett said 25 percent of the money for the program was raised locally. 

Each student is paired with a mentor. Francisco said it feels good to be a REACH scholar and have Sgt. Ricky Long from the Dalton Police Department as a mentor.

“I feel special because he was in the Army and served our country,” Francisco said. 

 Long said he’s honored to be Francisco’s mentor. 

“I used to be a substitute teacher and always liked helping kids and being around them,” he said. 

The other mentors are Sharon Hixson, dean of education at Dalton State College; Mayor Dennis Mock; Vanessa Paluszcyk, assistant principal at Dawnville Elementary; 1st Lt. Eric Rochelle with the Civil Air Patrol; and Sanjuana Rodriguez, an assistant professor at Kennesaw State University. 

Judi Miller said she’s proud of her grandson, Elliott Miller.

“He’s always been exceptional, kind and tenderhearted,” she said.

Susanna Baxter, a member of the REACH Georgia executive board, told the students they are now part of a wonderful group.

“It’s an honor and a joy to be here today,” she said. “As a REACH board member our primary responsibility is to raise money to provide additional funds for this program. We do that because we believe in each one of you.”  

The program began in 2012. Baxter said the first class of REACH students started college this fall.

“One hundred percent of those students went to college, and 88 percent received the HOPE scholarship,” she said. 

Baxter told the students to imagine themselves 60 years from now as the oldest people in a room surrounded by young children.

“Everyone is talking about college because the expectation is that they go,” she said. “Everyone in your family has gone since you. You smile because you understand and remember the day you signed a form that changed your life.”