Three 2005 Austin School District graduates are among a total of 160 students nationwide receiving the opportunity to live their dream of a college education, thanks in part to the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation's Dell Scholars Program.

The three local students named as Dell Scholars will each receive $20,000 - $5,000 per year - to continue their higher education for the next four years.

Scholarships from the Dell Scholars Program were awarded to Larry Anazia and Ashley Sauceda, who graduated from Lanier High School, and to Angelica Tello who graduated from McCallum High School. They have all been students in the District’s AVID - Advancement Via Individual Determination - Program.

Anazia and Tello are scheduled to enroll in the University of Texas at Austin. Sauceda will attend Texas A&M University.

"These AISD students were chosen because they demonstrated something special - the willingness to succeed and persevere despite obstacles," Kevin Byrne, director of scholarships at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation said. "We hope these scholarships encourage them to finish college, expand their horizons, and pursue the career of their dreams."

Nationwide, a total of $3.2 million in scholarships will be awarded to the 2005 Dell Scholars to attend a college of their choice.

Unlike most scholarship opportunities that focus solely on academic records, the Dell Scholars Program is need-based and evaluates college-ready high school students on their demonstrated ability to overcome obstacles and determination to succeed.

With this year's announcement, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has recognized more than 250 students through the Dell Scholars Program. The program began in 2004 as an extension of the Foundation's support of college-readiness programs such AVID.

Complementary to the Dell Scholars Program’s focus on at-risk students with a determination to persevere, AVID is a college-readiness program that prepares students in the academic middle for higher education, based on their ability to succeed in college given the necessary academic, personal and financial support.

The Dell Scholars Program targets underserved youth and lower income students from high schools nationwide that participate in the AVID program to promote higher education. Participation in the program is one of the key criteria to be eligible for the Dell Scholars Program. Other requirements include graduation from an accredited high school, demonstrated financial need, a minimum GPA of 2.4 on a 4.0 scale, and intent to enter a bachelor's degree program at an accredited higher education institution in the fall.

"We are grateful to the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation for its support of the AVID Program and of AVID students’ desire to attain a college education," said Superintendent Pat Forgione. "The Austin School District is committed to preparing students for success after graduation. We see great value in AVID."

To learn more about the Dell Scholars Program, including information on how to apply for the scholarship, log on to http://www.dellscholars.org  

Applications will be available in the fall on the website and will be evaluated on the requirements listed online.