Lexi Gallegos
NMPED News:
SANTA FE — A Tularosa High School senior was surprised on national television today with news that she’s one of 31 students across the nation to receive a $40,000 college scholarship.
Lexi Gallegos learned she will receive the BigFuture scholarship from the College Board during a virtual appearance with 24 other recipients on ABC’s Good Morning America television show.
“I was pretty stunned,” she said afterward. “I never expected to get a scholarship today.”
Thirty-one students in all will receive $40,000 BigFuture scholarships: 27 are class of 2022 students; the other four are current juniors in the class of 2023.
The students were invited to appear virtually on Good Morning America for what they were told was a news segment on college planning, and 25 – including Gallegos – accepted. All 25 were shown in squares on a video board behind the set. Hands flew to faces and unmuted microphones picked up expressions of joy when BigFuture’s senior vice president Tarlin Ray announced they’d each receive a $40,000 scholarship.
The not-for-profit College Board provides resources including the Advanced Placement® Program and the SAT® to promote excellence and equity in education. It launched the scholarship program in 2018 to encourage students to prepare for college.
Students are automatically entered into monthly drawings for $500 prizes just by completing College Board’s steps required to plan for college – making a college list, studying for the SAT and completing a FAFSA form, for example. Students whose families earn less than $60,000 a year have extra chances at scholarships because they’re eligible for two entries for each drawing.
Students who make it through all six steps are entered into the drawing for $40,000 scholarships.
Since the program began, more than 1 million students have participated and over $10 million in scholarships have been awarded.
Gallegos said she plans to attend New Mexico State University and major in criminal justice with a goal of becoming a game and fish warden.
Tularosa High Assistant Principal Jody Hill said Gallegos has worked hard to prepare for college.
“I love all my students, but I couldn’t ask for a better student to get it,” Hill said. “Congratulations, Lexi, on all your hard work!”