student holding sign

Congratulations to our own Antonio Ponton, who is one of two high school seniors from across the country to earn one of the September 2022 $40,000 BigFuture Scholarships!

Antonio earned a chance for the $40,000 scholarship by completing at least one of the key steps to plan, prepare, and pay for college through BigFuture, the College Board’s online guide that helps students plan for life after high school. BigFuture simplifies the path by recommending small steps that all students can take at just the right time to explore career interests, identify potential majors, find colleges and scholarships, and access financial aid. It rewards the efforts students take by providing chances at scholarships.

Representatives from College Board and West Haven High School planned an assembly for juniors and seniors on Friday morning in the auditorium. During a brief presentation by College Board Senior Director Dena Johnson, Dena asked Antonio to join her on stage where she surprised him with the scholarship. Additionally, Antonio's mother, who was also surprised by the announcement,  joined her son on stage in tears of happiness.  

All class of 2023 students are now eligible to win $500 and $40,000 scholarships they can use at two- or four-year institutions. There are no essay, test score, citizenship status, family income, or minimum GPA requirements. Drawings for $500 and $40,000 are held every month. Students whose families earn less than $60,000 per year have extra chances at scholarships and earn double the entries for every drawing. The sooner students complete the steps and the more steps they take, the more entries they’ll earn. Students can head to bigfuture.org to begin completing college planning steps and earn scholarships.