SAN ANTONIO — One local senior has some important decisions to make after receiving more than a million dollars in scholarship offers.
Brandon Vazquez Munoz, a Johnson High School senior, has received more than $1.2 million in scholarship offers so far. And the dollar amount is still climbing as more and more scholarships trickle in.
Hard work and determination helped contribute to his success, and so did an NEISD program called AVID.
“I think going to college for free is everyone’s dream,” said Brandon. “Honestly, I did not expect this. I was hoping to get something but over a million, I was very surprised. I think I owe a good portion of my success and everything I’ve achieved to AVID.”
Brandon says the NEISD college readiness program, AVID, helped pave the way for him to receive a free ride to Cornell University. For those who don't know, AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. It's a program designed for students who want to go to college and also have the willingness to work hard.
"Brandon fits the bill, and then some," NEISD said in a press release. "He’s a first-generation U.S. citizen and will soon be a first-generation college student at Cornell, where he’ll study Mechanical Engineering."
“Coming into this, I didn’t know much about college and the AVID program does a really good job of explaining things and walking you through the process," said Brandon. "With scholarships, for example, I was made aware of way more scholarships than I could have found on my own. It feels really nice to have support behind you and to know you’re not in this alone.”
Johnson joined the AVID program his freshman year and he says it changed the trajectory of his life.
Another scholarship he received is the renowned Bill Gates Scholarship, which provides more than $320,000 toward college.
Congratulations to Brandon Vazquez Munoz for all of his accomplishments. KENS 5 wishes you much success in the future.
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