A third-grade class in Arizona was surprised with full scholarships to college


Ten years ago, 84 third-grade students at Michael Anderson School in Avondale, Arizona, were surprised with the gift of opportunity.
In 2005, a Hungarian-born chemist named Ferenc E. Rosztoczy launched The Rosztoczy Foundation as a way to help Hungarian students get scholarships to study in the U.S. In 2012, the foundation branched out with its College Promise program, surprising the students at Michael Anderson School with full-ride college scholarships once they graduated from high school.
Erika Valadez was one of those students, and told The Washington Post that knowing she had a scholarship and wouldn't graduate with debt "was so motivating. It made everything more real. It changed the course of my life." She graduated high school as valedictorian, and just finished her freshman year at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, where she is studying criminal justice and forensic science.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Out of Valadez's class, 34 students are now enrolled in college. The Rosztoczy Foundation viewed this as a success, and decided to repeat their generosity with a new generation. During an assembly last month, 63 third-graders at Bernard Black Elementary School in Phoenix learned they would receive full scholarships to college. "There wasn't a dry eye in the house," Roosevelt School District Superintendent Quintin Boyce told the Post. "It was a really precious moment."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Why are Trump's health rumors about more than just presidential fitness?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Extended absences and unexplained bruises have raised concerns about both his well-being and his administration's transparency
-
Earth's seasons have gone wackadoodle
Under the radar It may have impacted biodiversity and evolution
-
How much does it cost to move? Here's how to budget and save.
the explainer Factors like move distance and the weight of your furnishings can affect the total cost — but there are several ways to economize
-
8 hotels with ace tennis courts
The Week Recommends Bring your A game
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
Food trails are the best trails. Eat your way across the US with these 7 regional food journeys.
The Week Recommends Take a bite out of the United States
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year