Students awarded prestigious Banneker/Key Scholarship, West Point admission

Seniors Victor Kao and Maddie Rodriguez-White wearing their college gear.

College should be the best years of your life, and there’s definitely no way to make those years better than going to a prestigious college for free.

Senior Maddie Rodriguez-White has won the Banneker/Key Scholarship to the University of Maryland: a full-ride academic scholarship, which covers tuition, room and board, complete with stipends for books and spending money. “[I was] amazed, I was in shock, I really didn’t think that I would have the chance.” White said. “My interview went well, but seeing the people around me…the [other students] I was up against, I wasn’t sure how it would go, but I was shocked.”

The Banneker/Key Scholarship is awarded to approximately 150 of the most outstanding students from the state of Maryland each year.  According to the UMD website, it is given to students who have “demonstrated significant academic leadership and accomplishment in high school.”

White plans to major in biology and pre-med. She is very excited for college and can’t wait for the experiences that await her. “College is going to be very different than [high school],” White added. “A lot more freedom, and I can do what I want.”

Senior Victor Kao is also getting a free education because he has been accepted into The United States Military Academy at West Point. Kao is the first Watkins Mill High School student to be accepted since 2006.

“I had the help and support of other people, like my teachers and my parents, and I believe my acceptance there is almost like a miracle,” Kao said.

To be accepted into West Point, candidates must be nominated by a congressional representative, and Kao was nominated by Senator Barbara Mikulski. Kao will also be expected to serve at least five years in the military after he graduates, with many career opportunity advancements available to him because of his West Point background.

Kao’s interest in West Point started at the 2015 College Fair, where he spoke with a representative who told him all about the school and the many opportunities that come with going to the school. Kao was very interested in the fact that he would be able to have “free education, [a] guaranteed job after graduation, and the chance to serve.”

He is also excited to learn about the experiences that he will gain when he goes to West Point. “I’m looking forward to working with people in the military and learning more about how I can serve in the future,” Kao said.

White and Kao have worked hard to accomplish these goals, and being able to achieve them has made all their effort worth it. They hope to continue to do well into their college years, as well as beyond.