About ARIELLE
Greater Than Expectations, Inc. is proud to present this scholarship in honor of Arielle Rideau.
Arielle is the inspiration behind Greater Than Expectations, Inc. and the namesake for the inaugural scholarship. Arielle entered the foster care system at seven and stayed for ten years before getting pregnant and being emancipated at 17. In the years since, Arielle has focused her energy on being a mom, building her career, and providing unwavering friendship and support for those she loves.
Today, Arielle is a manager in the toxicology department of Quest Diagnostics. She is a devoted mother and enjoys spending quality time with her two beautiful sons, Aariyon and S.J. In her spare time, Arielle enjoys watching sports, shopping, and travel. Arielle’s passion is autism advocacy and educating her peers about autism awareness, which has inspired her to continue her education in Psychology as well as found Swimming with SJ, a non-profit in the greater Kansas City, Missouri area that caters to helping children with Autism learn to swim.
Arielle’s inspirational story is a true testament of a foster alum that had the Audacity to Succeed. Greater Than Expectations is proud to have Arielle as the namesake for their inaugural scholarship opportunity so that other foster care alum can see themselves in her and know that their current circumstance doesn’t define their ability to be great.
WHO WE HELP
Our mission is to educate and equip foster care youth with the essential tools necessary to transform their lives and discover their potential as leaders and change-makers in a challenging world. We believe that a college education is the catalyst for these transformations and discoveries. The Greater Than Expectation (GTE) scholarship helps audacious youth who will age out of foster care pursue and achieve what less than 3% of foster care alumni achieve, a college degree.
The GTE Scholarship helps audacious youth who will age out of foster care pursue and achieve what less than 3% of foster care alumni achieve, a college degree.
2024 SCHOLARSHIP AWARD AMOUNT
AWARD AMOUNT: Multiple AWARDS RANGING $1,000.00 - $1,500.00 per scholarship
2024 eligibility and criteria
● High school seniors currently in foster care, kinship care or transitional living
● Who are planning to start an undergraduate institution or trade school in pursuit of a certification, Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree
Selection locality:
● Applicants who reside in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex
● Applicants who reside in the Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas metropolitan areas
● Any high school senior who is currently in foster care within the United States is encouraged to apply
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
11:59pm on March 31st, 2024
Part 1: Application & ESSAY
Please complete this form and essay submission. Video submissions and/or written essays are accepted. If your essay will be by video submission, please check the box on this form to indicate. Video submissions are highly encouraged. Only 1 application per person will be evaluated.
1. Please answer any two (2) of the questions listed below.
2. Each video submission should be 3-5 minutes in length. The written essay should be no more than one page in length.
3. Please include your first and last name with all submissions.
4. Essays will be evaluated based on creativity and substance of the content.
For instructions on submitting your video, please click HERE.
PArt 3: RECOMMENDATION LETTER
One letter from a teacher, mentor, coach, employer, community leader, etc. who can speak to the person you are and the contributions you are making inside or outside of the classroom. The letter should include comments on your academic and/or communal contributions to date, extracurricular activity, and future goals.
RECOMMENDATION LETTER Requirements
We ask that each response be at least one paragraph in length.
Recommender name, phone number, email address, and relationship to the student.
Please identify the student. Describe and discuss your personal experiences with the student. Include specific examples that demonstrate the student’s character, persistence, motivation, and general attitude when interacting with others.
Please provide clear details regarding the student’s strengths, skills, accomplishments, and his/her/their potential to succeed in a higher learning academic setting or technical institute.
Please provide a summary that explains why you would recommend this student be awarded the Greater Than Expectations Scholarship.
*Please Note: Have your designated recommender complete a letter of recommendation and email it to info@greaterthanexpectations.org. Please have them put “Recommendation Letter” and the name of the student in the subject line. For example: Recommendation letter for Arielle Rideau.
APPLICATION AND ATTACHMENTS CHECKLIST
Completed scholarship application
A completed essay entry or video submission. This is your opportunity to help the committee see how this scholarship will aid your future goals.
One letter of recommendation
A copy of your high school transcript
Optional: Any additional information you feel will aid the scholarship committee, such as verification of community involvement, creative or artistic work, passion projects, etc.
**Please note that you will be required to show proof of enrollment prior to the disbursement of the award.
***If awarded this scholarship, the GTE scholarship committee asks that you provide feedback after the first semester of your progress, takeaways from your initial college experience, and the impact of the scholarship on your experience.
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
11:59pm on March 31st, 2024