Dell Scholar Is a Born Educator
Raised in Austin, Texas, Cinnamon Robinson remembers gathering her friends during recess to play school. Ever since, she has had a passion for teaching and a determination to be the first member of her family to go to college. The 2010 Austin High School graduate is proud to have overcome the challenges of her distressed neighborhood and family hardships to pursue her dream. Today, the University of Houston freshman is firmly committed to her goal of attaining a Master,s degree in education and teaching children in middle school.
“I want to work with youth like me, who come from single parent households and who will be the first ones to go to college in their family. I just want to be a support system for them like Breakthrough Austin was for me,” says Cinnamon.
Breakthrough Austin is an academic enrichment program that provides a six-year path to college, beginning in sixth grade, for low-income students who will be first-generation college graduates.
Determined to Succeed
Supported by a close-knit family of her mother, younger brother and uncle, Cinnamon focused on her dream to stay grounded amid the instability of her surroundings. Drugs, crime and negative peer influences were all around. Cinnamon’s mother worked two jobs to support the family, consequently taking time away from her children. Cinnamon began taking on household responsibilities at age 12 to help out. Her junior year, she was deeply impacted by the loss of her uncle to kidney disease. Her mother’s twin had played an important stabilizing role as surrogate father for the Cinnamon and her brother. Through it all, she remained a stellar student.
Inspired by her teachers and motivated by the Breakthrough Austin program, Cinnamon began taking pre-AP courses in middle school, winning an award for having the highest GPA in her middle school. In the 8th grade, she began volunteering at the Carver Branch of the Austin Public Library tutoring elementary students preparing for the TAKS test.
“That’s when I really became passionate about teaching. I knew I wanted to help children learn exciting, new and different things, and to pass their test. I wanted to make learning fun,” said Cinnamon.
She continued taking AP courses throughout high school and participating in the Breakthrough Austin program, including working with 7th graders during her summer internship with the program after her graduation. It was through Breakthrough Austin that Cinnamon learned about the Dell Scholars Program scholarship opportunity.
The Dell Scholars Program awards $20,000 individual scholarships so that deserving students can continue their higher education. In addition, students are provided with technology, resources and mentoring to ensure they have the support they need to obtain a college degree. The program has achieved a retention rate of almost 95 percent, well above the national average of 23 percent for students with the same socioeconomic profile. The Dell Scholars Program was named the 2008 “Scholarship Provider of the Year” by the National Scholarship Providers Association because of its unique scholar profile and retention success.
Outlook
Cinnamon had never really been away from home before starting her first semester at the University of Houston. She is very appreciative to the Dell Scholars Program for making her feel assured and safe moving to another city. Her Dell Scholars Program scholarship is providing the financial support needed to allow her to concentrate on her studies, and the incredible Dell Scholars Program team is making sure she has the moral support, technology and resources to achieve her goal.
“I really feel they care about their students. They are always there and encouraging us to prosper and grow and not be afraid to achieve our dreams. I just want to say thank you. The scholarship is a blessing to me, and my family. Because of the Dell Scholars Program, I was able to go away to school and meet new people, build new relationships, and have a successful semester.”