Six Fannin County Middle School (FCMS) students became the seventh group of students from the Fannin County School System to become Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) scholars during a signing ceremony Wednesday, October 27.
The Class of 2026 eighth grade students Castle Barnett, Cheyenne Beavers, Brianna Knight, Conner Kyle, Harley Stanley and Lyla Webb are this year’s newly inducted scholars who pledged to keep good grades, attendance and behavior, meet with their mentors and academic coach, and to graduate from high school and college.
Fannin County School System Director of Learning and Achievement and REACH scholarship coordinator Lucas Roof said potential seventh grade students are nominated by their teachers, other educators, community members, or parents, and if he or she meets the required criteria for the program, they must then submit an application and complete a selection committee interview process in order to be selected for the REACH program.
There are typically 20 to 35 seventh grade Fannin County Middle School students who apply for the program each year, Roof said.
Georgia Student Finance Commission Agency President Lynne Riley said during the signing ceremony that “this is the tenth anniversary of the program. Ten years ago was the first class making the commitment to perform in school, to take mentoring and support coaching from those in the community. ...We look forward to seeing your future success.”
The mission of the REACH program is “to provide Georgia’s academically promising students with academic, social and financial support needed to graduate from high school and college prepared for work.”
Students who complete the program requirements will receive a scholarship of up to $10,000 ($2,500 per year maximum) to be used towards the cost of attendance at a University System of Georgia, Technical College System of Georgia, or eligible private postsecondary institution.