Josie Dean and Brooklyn Stevens, both CVHS seniors, have received the prestigious Hagan scholarship award this year.

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Dean, who will be attending Kansas University next year, learned that scholarship opportunities can be found anywhere by “ overhearing Brooklyn talking to Mrs. Brandon about it”. The Hagan scholarship is open to high school seniors in public schools who have shown both financial need and determination shown through their life experiences. After beginning the application process in October, Stevens answered that she “asked for help a lot”, claiming that “without Mrs. Brandon’s help, it would have been really difficult to get the first part submitted”. Although the application process is extensive to complete, the scholarship awards four years of financial assistance and for some includes the possibility of graduate school. Stevens later stated that “it feels rewarding, it’s a really big scholarship that people just overlook because it seems like a lot of work to get turned in”. Due to this scholarship, both girls found security in their post-secondary plans: Dean attending KU, with Stevens earning her associates degree at Coffeyville Community College before transferring to Pitt State. With ambitions to become a pharmacist Dean stated that earning this scholarship “feels pretty good. Paying for college was something I’ve always kind of stressed out about, coming from a family that didn’t have a lot of money. Getting this scholarship is really going to help out.”