Clark County students raise bar on receiving scholarship money

Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012 | 2 a.m.

Clark County Schools Superintendent Dwight Jones thanked teachers and principals for their efforts to increase student achievement at a news conference on Monday, June 4, 2012. The School District announced – erroneously – that its graduation rate improved to 65 percent, from 59 percent the previous year.

The challenge has been set for next year’s Clark County high school graduates.

The Clark County School District announced that high school graduates from the Class of 2012 accumulated a district-record $240 million in scholarship funds. Superintendent Dwight Jones challenged future graduating classes to top that total, the release said.

“I’m proud of all our graduates who earned scholarships and our hardworking teachers, counselors, administrators and support staff who work with our students daily,” Jones said in a press release. “I hope this news inspires future graduating classes to aim for the stars and break the record set by the Class of 2012.”

The release said 2012 high school graduates earned $175 million in merit-based scholarship money, and another $65 million from the Millennium Scholarship fund, which is handed out to eligible students by the state treasurer. District officials expect that total to increase after final estimates from the Millennium Scholarship are tallied this month, the release said.

The scholarships will help pay for students to attend colleges and universities across the country, including Harvard.