Houston Independent School District Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan will surprise 10 high school seniors with 2019-2020 HISD Superintendent Scholars Awards during surprise visits to their homes.

This is the third year the scholarships will be awarded to graduating seniors who have exemplified great character and resilience in the face of adversity.

Moved by their tenacity and inspiring journeys, Lathan personally selected the 10 students she will surprise from among 45 HISD seniors who were nominated by their principals or leadership teams.

The scholarship awards benefit students who face hardships and challenges that may make higher education or career/vocational training difficult to attain. Rather than focusing solely on academic records, school administrators selected recipients based primarily on the qualities they have demonstrated and obstacles they have overcome that make them likely to succeed if given a chance.

The scholarships are underwritten by The Coca-Cola Foundation. The 10 seniors selected by Lathan will each receive $5,000 scholarships. The 35 remaining awardees will each receive $1,500 scholarships.