Harvard-Bound High School Senior Donates Her $40,000 Scholarship to Struggling Community College Student

A high school senior on her way to Harvard University donated her $40,000 scholarship to a student attending community college.

According to Today, 17-year-old Verda Tetteh, a student from Fitchburg High School in Massachusetts, decided to be a blessing for another student pursuing higher education. Her decision was motivated by her own mother’s experience, who attended a community college herself.

After accepting her school’s general excellence award on June 4, the student announced that she’d like to donate her scholarship.

“I am so very grateful for this, but I also know that I am not the one who needs this the most,” she said in her speech. “And knowing my mom went to community college, and how much that was helpful, I would be so very grateful if administration … would consider giving the general excellence scholarship to someone who’s going to community college.

“It is such a great honor, but I also know that I am not the most in need of it,” she added.

The news outlet reports that the scholarship is $10,000 a year and can be renewed for four years. Her mother says she is extremely proud of her daughter. “I am in awe of her, so proud of her, and I think that that’s something that’s very difficult to do,” Tetteh told NBC Boston about her mother’s return to school later in life. “But she knew she wanted to improve her life and improve the lives of her children.”