College scholarships are on the mind of all RMA seniors right now, as all of the students are working extra hard to earn every dollar they can to use towards tuition, books, and other college expenses. Over half of the students in the RMA class of 2015 have already been accepted into a college and eight students have already been offered scholarship money from either schools or organizations totaling about $300,000 in all!  RMA also has two seniors who have advanced in the running for the prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship and one student that has made it to the semi-finals of the competitive Coca-Cola Scholarship.

The Morehead-Cain Scholarship is the first merit scholarship program created at the very first public university in the country, the University of North Carolina. This prestigious scholarship, which focuses on education, leadership, and character, covers full tuition and student fees for all four years of college, as well as enriching summer experiences and opportunities abroad. The total value of the Morehead-Cain Scholarship is approximately $80,000 for in-state students and $140,000 for out of state students. Seniors Brice Andracchio and Colby Kirkpatrick received the exciting news Monday, December 1^st that they had advanced to the semifinals, a round that only twenty percent of Morehead applicants reach. After hearing the good news, Colby said, “When I found out I advanced to the semi-finals, I was visiting my grandmother in the hospital. It was especially exciting because she is a die-hard Carolina fan.” Commenting on his advancement into the semifinals, Brice Andracchio said, “It is a huge honor. The success RMA has had with the Morehead in recent years really speaks to how well the school has prepared us all to take the next step in our education.” Previous Morehead-Cain scholars from Rocky Mount Academy include Emma Park and Tripp Andracchio. After personal interviews in January, two additional cuts will be made and the recipients will be selected.

Another highly competitive scholarship, the Coca-Cola Scholarship, had over 100,000 applicants this year. The first cut was just recently made, and only 2,000 of these applicants advanced to the semifinals. Out of the almost 103,000 students that applied, Colby Kirkpatrick moved on and advanced to this round. No other Rocky Mount Academy student has ever made it this far.  RMA’s College Counselor Mrs. Daniel noted, “What has struck me the most about Colby when reading his essays is his depth of concern for others, his willingness to step outside his comfort zone, and his global perspective. Those attributes along with his academic excellence make him a perfect Coca-Cola Scholarship potential winner.” After completing several more essays and sending in additional materials, the applicant field will be narrowed down to 250 students. Then, after a telephone interview, the final cut will be made, and the remaining 150 students will each receive a $20,000 scholarship to the college of their choice.

Be sure to wish Brice and Colby the best of luck as they continue to compete for these prestigious scholarships, and huge congratulations to all the seniors who have already received a scholarship!