Who Are We?
Columbus Scholars, Inc. is a Georgia non-profit corporation that started its mission in 2009. Seven local fifth graders from local elementary schools were selected to be Columbus Scholars. Columbus Scholars, Inc. with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Chattahoochee Valley provided each with a mentor. Funds had been previously raised and set aside in a separate Columbus Scholars Fund at the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc. which would provide supplemental college funding in the future.
Columbus Scholars Inc. has no administrative staff. It is managed by its Board and uses existing resources to provide the needs of our scholars. Big Brothers Big Sisters provides mentors and oversees the selection process with the Board. The monthly enrichment sessions and summer enrichment sessions are provided by the Board. Columbus High School students are providing weekly tutoring at the Columbus Public Library and we hope to partner with Columbus State University to help with monthly and summer enrichment sessions.
Our Story
The Columbus Scholars Story Columbus Scholars began as a dream in a private home here on March 29 and 30, 2009. Over those two days, 62 Columbus citizens came together for dinner, fellowship and to share the dream of equal educational opportunity for all. The premise was and remains simple: If an American kid is smart and works hard and stays out of trouble, he or she should be given a shot at college, even – especially – if no person in that family has ever gone past high school.
Since our first class of Scholars was interviewed and selected at the Ledger-Enquirer in November 2009, the Columbus Scholars Project has grown and improved. In the early days, CS was comprised of a small group of fifth-grade Muscogee County public school students. It is hard to believe that those bright-eyed 10 year olds are now grown up.
Our administrative fund pays for things like books, laptops and teacher stipends. But we do not pay administrators or CS leadership one penny of salary