2 top students at this school were homeless and they just got scholarships

ATLANTA, Ga. — Some high school seniors are being honored for their hard work with financial help for college, but there’s a unique twist to this story:

Two  top  students at Maynard Jackson High School in Atlanta were all homeless at one point, according to the principal.

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and honorable mention Jakobi Horn have been just two of nearly 1,800 homeless students in metro Atlanta.

“With all the support that we have from our environment, our community, despite the financial hardship, you’re able to thrive if you really put your mind to it,” Schmitt said.

Schmitt said she was accepted into some of the top universities in the country.

“Spelman College, Georgia Tech, Washington University in St. Louis, Northwestern University and Duke University,” she said.

The school system and a local grocery store, Kroger, presented the students with scholarships and gift cards at the STAR students and Teachers Awards Ceremony at the Georgia Power Auditorium.

These students were selected at the end of the first semester of their senior year.

The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program honors Georgia’s outstanding high school seniors and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development.

Schmitt, as valedictorian, received a $1,000 scholarship and a $250 Kroger gift card. Horn received a $500 scholarship and a $100 Kroger gift card.

Cox Media Group