THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 5, 1996 TAG: 9605030225
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REBECCA A. MYERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
They both love science, and they're both honors students in Portsmouth high schools. And these two girls had one other thing in common.
They worried about how they would pay for college educations.
But thanks to their initiative and a special scholarship program, they're not worrying any more.
They're celebrating.
Sherquita Boyd and Leontyne' Boatright are two of 40 high school seniors throughout the country who are getting full academic scholarships to study science at Norfolk State University.
The scholarships - worth more than $50,000 each - cover room and board, books and tuition to the Dozoretz National Institute for Minorities in Applied Sciences, established at the university in 1986 to help increase the number of minority scientists nationwide.
The scholars were selected from a pool of 135 African-American students who ranked in the top 10 percent of their graduating classes, had a grade point average of at least a 3.0 and exceeded 1,000 on their Scholastic Aptitude Tests. Three letters of recommendation and an essay also were required to complete the application process.
Without the full scholarship, Sherquita Boyd, 17, says she would have had to resort to financial aid and student loans.
``That's one of the reasons I was so happy, because it pays for everything,'' she said this past week. She is a senior honor student at Churchland High School with a grade point average of 3.4.
This year Boyd is taking physics, dual-enrollment English (for which she receives college credit), marketing education, word processing, oceanography and honors government.
But unlike other students, Boyd has been keeping up with her studies while confined to her Mount Hermon home. A doctor has ordered complete bed rest for the teen, who is expecting a baby in July.
``I know it's not going to be easy, but I have help from my family,'' said Boyd, daughter of Anthony E. and Denise Moses. ``And I have a great deal of support from my boyfriend's family.''
When she gets to college, Boyd plans to major in biology and later attend medical school to become a pediatrician.
Leontyne' Boatright, like Boyd, also worried about financing her college education.
``That was a big issue with me and my mother because she's a single parent,'' said Boatright, 17. ``And she's going to retire in a couple of years.''
Because Boatright's mother, Ylonda Boatright, is stationed in Seattle with the Army, the Norcom senior is living with her grandmother, Marion Patterson.
``I ran and told my grandmother first and then I called my mom,'' said Boatright, recalling the day she opened the letter that named her a Dozoretz scholar.
She credits her aunt, Andreia Lynch, with first telling her about the scholarship.
``She really helped me to get the scholarship because she gave me the application and everything for it. And she really encouraged me to go for it.''
Boatright maintains a 3.3 grade point average with a course load that includes physics, word processing, honors government and dual-enrollment English.
Her favorite subject is physics.
``I think it's easy. I've liked math all my life, and physics, to me, is another form of math.''
Boatright plans to major in computer science at Norfolk State. Before moving to Portsmouth three years ago, she was introduced to computers in the high school she attended outside Silver Spring, Md.
In order to stay in the Dozoretz program - named after Dr. Ronald I. Dozoretz, chief executive officer of First Hospital Corp. who helped start the institute - students must major in a science-related field, maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average, take a full course load, work at least one summer in an internship and earn no grade lower than a C, program director Larry Mattix says.
In addition to the full scholarships, both girls also received $1,500 scholarships from NSU. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by MARK MITCHELL
Leontyne' Boatright plans to major in computer science when she
attends Norfolk State on full scholarship.
When she gets to college, Sherquita Boyd plans to major in biology
and later attend medical school to become a pediatrician.
Sherquita's scholarship, worth more than $50,000, will cover room
and board, books and tuition to the Dozoretz National Institute for
Minorities in Applied Sciences at NSU.
by CNB