Three 2020 Isle of Wight County Schools graduates recently received scholarships from a nonprofit college and career access organization headquartered in Glen Allen.

GRASP, an acronym for the Great Aspirations Scholarship Program Inc., awarded 105 Last Dollar scholarships totaling $106,945 and 61 Community College Pathway scholarships totaling $59,000 to Virginia 2020 high school graduates, along with 79 College Success scholarships totaling $116,000 to college students participating in GRASP’s College Success program.

The Isle of Wight recipients are Basalisa Andujar and Brenda Lassiter of Windsor High School and Azalyia Carter of Smithfield High School.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, GRASP advisors provided free, confidential, one-on-one counseling in 87 Virginia high schools to students seeking financial aid and scholarships for continuing education, whether at a technical school, community college or four-year university. GRASP advisors typically assist more than 8,000 students and their families in developing post-secondary education plans each year.

The GRASP advising program and scholarships are made possible by generous donor support year after year. In 2019, the Smithfield Foundation — Smithfield Foods’ philanthropic arm — made a $30,000 contribution to GRASP for financial aid advising services at Smithfield and Windsor high schools.

Last Dollar scholarships are awarded to at least one student at each school GRASP serves. The Community College Pathway scholarships are awarded to students who plan to attend community colleges to receive career certificates or transfer to a four-year college.

More information on GRASP is available at www.grasp4va.org.