A Blanson Career and Technology Education High School student recently earned a full-ride scholarship to the prestigious University of Notre Dame through QuestBridge.

Kaiden Johnnie no longer has to worry about how her mom could afford for her to go college.

Kaiden discovered the QuestBridge scholarship through the EMERGE Program she is involved in. She applied with hope but never imagined she would be selected.

Earning the scholarship has not only transformed Kaiden’s academic journey but has also provided her with the opportunity to pursue higher education. Her achievement is particularly poignant given the financial challenges her family has faced.

Kaiden’s achievements — she currently holds a 4.0 GPA — extend beyond academics. She juggles her academic and extracurricular commitments. In addition to being active in the Emerge Organization, she is a Blanson CTEHS Ambassador and team captain of Blanson’s Academic Decathlon team. She is also involved in the Business Professionals of America organization.

Kaiden aspires to pursue a computer science and engineering degree, possibly furthering her education after college. She loves to learn.

According to the institution’s website, the average cost to attend the University of Notre Dame in 2023-2024 is $83,271.

QuestBridge
QuestBridge is a national nonprofit that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with leading higher education institutions and further life opportunities. The nonprofit recently announced the results of the 2023 QuestBridge National College Match, a program that connects high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to 50 of the nation’s best colleges.

Out of over 20,800 applicants, QuestBridge selected 6,683 Finalists to be considered for the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship (Match Scholarship). This year, QuestBridge’s 50 college partners matched with 2,242 Finalists, recognized as Match Scholarship Recipients. This is the highest number of Match Scholarship Recipients to date for QuestBridge.

These outstanding high school seniors have an average unweighted GPA of 3.94, and 93% are in the top 10% of their graduating class. Around 92% come from a household with an annual income under $65,000, and 87% qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. The majority of this year’s Match Scholarship Recipients — 82% — are among the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college in the United States.

Learn more about QuestBridge.