Six Grafton BVT students awarded Adams scholarship

A tuition-free college education is a reason to smile, and it is one of the many options now available to 81 Blackstone Valley Tech students — six from Grafton — named recipients of the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship.

The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship is awarded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Students must earn Advanced and Proficient scores on the grade 10 MCAS exams in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science and Technology/Engineering (with at least one score of Advanced) and earn a combined score within the top 25 percent of their school district to be eligible.

Students who accept the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship and enroll as full-time students in a Massachusetts state college or university will receive a tuition waiver for up to eight semesters, which must be completed within six years of the recipient’s high school graduation. Recipients must also maintain at least a 3.0-grade point average during their enrollment.

Superintendent-Director Dr. Michael F. Fitzpatrick noted that BVT views college as a continuation of learning for its students. Often, students simultaneously pursue a post-secondary education while retaining employment in their vocational industries. Students also strategically seek private financial aid. Last year, the John and Abigail Adams Scholarships were among the nearly six million dollars in renewable scholarships and awards earned by BVT graduates.

Grafton Class of 2020 members who are eligible for the scholarship include: Nico Allemann, Katherine Joiner, Daniel McDonald, Rachel Perrotta, Cassidy Waldo, and Julia Yitts.