Senior superlative recognized by Sumter School District Board

Sumter High School senior Jada Collins, second from right, is recognized by Sumter School District's Board of Trustees on Monday, April 15, for receiving more than 60 college acceptance letters and $1.7 million in scholarship offers to date. Collins credits the school's GEAR UP program for her success. GEAR UP, which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, is a federally funded program that provides multi-year grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools to track an entire cohort of students beginning in seventh grade and throughout high school. From left are school board Chairman the Rev. Ralph Canty, Sumter High Principal Anamaria Sandor, Collins' sister and mother, Collins and district Superintendent William Wright Jr.

PHOTO BY BRUCE MILLS / THE SUMTER ITEM