If I Were Mayor
Central Catholic High 91视频 senior Emerald Woodberry has received one of the largest scholarships in Toledo history.
Woodberry earned the $200,000 scholarship to the University of Notre Dame through the QuestBridge National College Match program. QuestBridge links bright, motivated low-income students with educational and scholarship opportunities at some of the nation鈥檚 best colleges, according to its Web site.
Woodberry started looking at Notre Dame when she applied and was accepted into the African-American Scholars Program at the university the summer before her senior year. She really liked the school and bonded with the other students. The program accepted only 50 students in the country.
鈥淲e just had a lot of fun that week,鈥漌oodberry said.
Mona McGhee, Woodberry鈥檚 college counselor at Central, picked up Woodberry from Notre Dame because Woodberry鈥檚 mother had to work.
When McGhee arrived, the staff at Notre Dame told McGhee what a great leader Woodberry had been throughout the week, she said.
In September, Greg Owens, an academic adviser at Central, told Woodberry to apply for the QuestBridge scholarship. He had done research online and found that Woodberry met the qualifications.
Woodberry was"fabulous"to work with, McGhee said. She turned everything in early and always worked hard.
鈥淓merald鈥檚 attitude has always been, 鈥業 can do better,鈥欌�滿cGhee said. Woodberry also"took risks that other kids didn鈥檛 want to take."
Woodberry鈥檚 attitude and risk-taking paid off. In December, she was notified that she had received a full scholarship to Notre Dame.
鈥淚t was like a Christmas present to all of us,鈥滿cGhee said.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy about it. When I first got it, I didn鈥檛 know what to think,鈥漌oodberry said. She even double-checked to make sure she really had won the scholarship.
Woodberry is a member of the National Honor Society and is a Regents Scholar, which is a special program for students with grade point averages higher than 4.0.
She volunteers at Learners for Life Child Development Center and at CRS Assisted Living, working with adults with special needs.
Her mother, Cheryl Woodberry, works at both places.
Emerald Woodberry is also a member of the golf team, the African-American Club and Gospel choir. She is on the executive board for student council at Central.
鈥淭aking on a leadership role gives you a step up in the game,鈥漌oodberry said, explaining that leadership roles give her initiative and make her want to do better.鈥淧eople are watching you, and they have high expectations.鈥�
Woodberry鈥檚 family has always been supportive. She received a proclamation for her achievement from the Lucas County commissioners Dec. 16, and her proud mother, aunt, uncles and cousins were there.
鈥淲e鈥檝e always kept God in our lives,鈥漵aid her mother.
Woodberry attends Friendship Baptist Church. She attended St. Mary鈥檚 91视频 from first through sixth grade; St. Charles 91视频 for seventh and eighth grades; and then went on to Central Catholic. She wants to pursue a degree in business or journalism at Notre Dame.
When Woodberry accepted the award, she said she was excited about the opportunity to go to Notre Dame and continue to be Fighting Irish. She thanked her family, especially her mother.
Her mom saw the potential in her daughter. Success has to start at home, she said, adding that she did as much as she could to help her daughter, including checking her homework.
Her mom is a pre-school teacher and also supervises people with special needs.
鈥淚鈥檝e always known Emerald had talent,鈥漵aid cousin Debralyn Woodberry-Shaw.鈥淪he worked hard to get where she is now,鈥漵he said, adding that Woodberry"broke all of the stereotypes"for black women.
If Woodberry were mayor,鈥淚 would work with Toledo schools to train teachers better and make more programs for the kids. I would make more workshops for teachers and more after-school programs to make students more prepared for school,鈥漵he said.鈥淚 would also create a transition class for high school kids because it is rough coming from junior high to high school.鈥�
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