The Scholarship
Meet Verda Tetteh, a 17 year old high-school student from Massachusetts, who turned down a $40k scholarship, insisting her school give the money to a student in greater need.
Verda moved from Ghana to America at 8 years old. Despite knowing little English, she was determined to excel at school and quickly became a straight-A student, taking extra classes and creating initiatives to ‘make the school a better place’.
No one was surprised when Verda was awarded the ‘general excellence scholarship’ at her high school graduation. However, the audience were left stunned when, ten minutes after accepting the scholarship, Verda approached the podium and announced a change of heart. “I would be so very grateful if administration would consider giving the … scholarship to someone who is going to community college.”
Verda’s generosity was inspired by her mother Rosemary who enrolled in community college after arriving in America, to help her upskill into a better job so she could better support her four children. For years, Verda watched her mother work two jobs, 80 hours a week, while attending college. At the age of 47 years old, Rosemary graduated with a bachelor’s degree in science, showing her daughter firsthand, the real value of education.
Today, Verda is studying chemistry at Harvard University with plans to become a doctor. Her tuition, room and board are covered by other scholarships, and her old high school has redistributed the money she gave up to two students who will receive an annual donation of $5,000 over the next four years. Verda now hopes to create another scholarship for immigrant students to help them reach their dreams of a college tuition.
"You don't have to have the world to be able to give anything, you know, the little you have, just think about others around you and how you can help."
, a 17 year old high-school student from Massachusetts, who turned down a $40k scholarship, insisting her school give the money to a student in greater need.
Verda moved from Ghana to America at 8 years old. Despite knowing little English, she was determined to excel at school and quickly became a straight-A student, taking extra classes and creating initiatives to ‘make the school a better place’.
No one was surprised when Verda was awarded the ‘general excellence scholarship’ at her high school graduation. However, the audience were left stunned when, ten minutes after accepting the scholarship, Verda approached the podium and announced a change of heart. “I would be so very grateful if administration would consider giving the … scholarship to someone who is going to community college.”
Verda’s generosity was inspired by her mother Rosemary who enrolled in community college after arriving in America, to help her upskill into a better job so she could better support her four children. For years, Verda watched her mother work two jobs, 80 hours a week, while attending college. At the age of 47 years old, Rosemary graduated with a bachelor’s degree in science, showing her daughter firsthand, the real value of education.
Today, Verda is studying chemistry at Harvard University with plans to become a doctor. Her tuition, room and board are covered by other scholarships, and her old high school has redistributed the money she gave up to two students who will receive an annual donation of $5,000 over the next four years. Vedha now hopes to create another scholarship for immigrant students to help them reach their dreams of a college tuition.
"You don't have to have the world to be able to give anything, you know, the little you have, just think about others around you and how you can help."
