Aldine ISD Students Earn Prestigious Scholarships and Summer Learning Opportunities Through EMERGE Program

Disponible en: Español

Dozens of Aldine ISD seniors, whose unwavering dedication and hard work have paid off, are now celebrating full-ride scholarships to top colleges and universities. This remarkable achievement is made possible by the support of EMERGE. This college access and success program empowers and equips high-performing students from low-income communities to apply to, thrive at, and graduate from the nation’s best colleges.reach their full potential.

EMERGE, a nonprofit based in Houston, provides long-term support to low-income, first-generation students through college advising, mentorship, and exposure to selective universities. This year, the EMERGE Class of 2025 in Aldine ISD made some history, with nearly 60 seniors earning scholarships worth tens of thousands of dollars annually and several juniors selected for summer opportunities.

Among the most notable awards are full-tuition scholarships through competitive national programs like QuestBridge and The Posse Foundation.

Posse Scholar

At Nimitz High School, senior Stephanie Romero was named a Posse Scholar to Texas A&M University, meaning she received full tuition. She also received the TAMU Century Plus scholarship for $10,000, the TAMU Regents Scholarship for $6,000, and an Aldine Foundation Education Scholarship (AEF) for $1,000.

Questbridge Scholars

Seven Aldine ISD students were selected as QuestBridge National College Match Scholars, receiving full four-year scholarships to some of the nation’s most elite institutions:

Kevin Díaz, Blanson CTE High School – Boston College
- Additional Scholarship: An Amazon Engineering Scholarship for $40,000
Jesu’a Trejo, Blanson CTE High School – University of Pennsylvania
Alberto Ochoa, MacArthur High School – Columbia University
Anthony Gómez, MacArthur High School – Tufts University
Kealsy Rincón, MacArthur High School – Wesleyan University
Miguel Vallejo, MacArthur High School – Cornell University
Carlos Carmona, Victory Early College High School – Colby College
- Additional Scholarship: Aldine Education Foundation Scholarship for $1,000
Andrew Musleh, Victory Early College High School – Vanderbilt University
- Additional Scholarship: Out for Education (OFE) Foundation for $5,000

Full-Ride Scholarships

In addition to these national awards, many students received institutional scholarships and local support. Daniel Ceballos, a Victory Early College High School senior, will attend Texas A&M University on a full-ride scholarship and several university-based scholarships totaling $60,000.

Other standout scholarships include:

Juliuz Salazar, Avalos P-TECH School – Full tuition and housing at Harvey Mudd College ($92,000/year)
Princeton Allen, Blanson CTE High School – Full ride to Northeastern University ($91,095)
Lynn Phan, Blanson CTE High School – Full ride to Vanderbilt University ($88,520)
Kayley Bivens, Carver High School — Full ride to Texas A&M University
- Additional Scholarships: TAMU Century Scholar and TAMU Regents Scholar Award totaling $30,000; Aldine Education Foundation Scholarship for $1,000
Alyssa Leija, Carver High School — Full ride with loans to Skidmore College
- Additional Scholarships/Awards: Awarded $93,000 in total grants, scholarships, and awards
Alan Álvarez, MacArthur High School – Full ride to Vanderbilt University ($98,300/year)
Jeaulayna Johnson-Torrence, Victory Early College High School – Full ride to Washington University in St. Louis ($94,000/year)
Heba Musa, Victory Early College High School – Full ride to Vanderbilt University ($96,000/year)

Worth Mentioning

Aysha Alibin-Skinner, Blanson CTE High School — Opportunity VU Need-Based Scholarship at Vanderbilt University, $77,745 per year
Darion Randle, Blanson CTE High School — Lux Esto Scholarship at Kalamazoo College for $42,000 per year and the J.T. Williamson Scholarship at Kalamazoo College for $5,000 per year
Daysi Rodríguez, Blanson CTE High School — Victors Award Scholarship from the University of Michigan for $15,000 per year and University CBO Scholarship at the University of Michigan for $15,000 per year
Francisco Tovar, Blanson CTE High School — Northeastern Recognition Scholarship at Northeastern University for $10,000 per year and a Dell Scholarship for $20,000
Isabel Acevedo, Davis High School — Over $20,000 in awards to attend the University of Texas-Austin, including a $5,000 Dell Scholar Award and $1,750 in textbook and laptop credit
Victoria Moss, Davis High School — Over $80,000 in awards to attend Miami University, including the Hammond Scholarship for $64,000 (full tuition and fees), and a $2,000 AEF Scholarship
Helene Ung, Davis High School — Over $80,000 in awards to attend Miami University, including Hammond Scholarship for $64,000 (full tuition and fees) and a $1,000 AEF Scholarship
Mariana Méndez, Davis High School — Over $85,000 in scholarships and grants to attend Northeastern University, including a $1,000 AEF Access Grant
Issac Nget, Davis High School — Over $65,000 in grants and scholarships to attend Kalamazoo College, including a merit-based $40,000 Lux Esto Scholarship
Jordan Bush, Davis High School — Over $80,000 in scholarships and awards to attend Tulane University
Kaitlyn Brown, Nimitz High School — An $18,000 Academic Excellence Scholarship to attend the University of Texas-Dallas
Daphne Jiang, Nimitz High School — Over $80,000 in grants and scholarships to Babson College, including travel and health insurance awards
Demari Miller, Victory Early College High School — $20,000 University of Texas Dell Scholars Scholarship
Diego Rayas, Victory Early College High School — $20,000 Texas Excellence Scholarship from the University of Texas at Austin

EMERGE Class of 2026 Selective Summer Program Scholars

With its proven track record of success, the EMERGE program continually paves the way for future scholars. Several Aldine juniors in the EMERGE Class of 2026 have been selected for selective summer experiences. The experiences range from on-site university preparedness to STEM, leadership development, and immersive wilderness expeditions.

Ángel Moreno, Aldine High School — Learn2Earn Young Leaders
Nataly López Bautista, Blanson CTE High School — Operation Catapult at the Rose Hulman & Girls Who Code
Raymond Benson, Blanson CTE High School — College Prep Questbridge Scholar
David Marmolejo, Blanson CTE High School — Thrive Scholar
Jessica Palomo, Blanson CTE High School — College Prep Questbridge Scholar
Manthan Panchal, Blanson CTE High School — Thrive Scholar
Isabella Zapata, Blanson CTE High School — College Prep Questbridge Scholar
Jocelyn Mendoza Villatoro, Davis High School — Girls Who Code
Sofia López, Eisenhower High School — The United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar
Logan Haagenson-Jiménez, MacArthur High School, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA) Scholar
Jesse Corona Tapia, Nimitz High School — National Outdoor Leadership School

These opportunities serve as a launchpad for students like Jonathan Bush, who was featured in 2023 by the Houston Chronicle.

Aldine ISD and EMERGE Partnership History

Aldine ISD partnered with EMERGE in 2019 at a few high school campuses and expanded to all high schools in 2021. The Houston-based college-readiness program prepares high-performing high school students in grades 10-12 to attend and graduate from top-tier selective colleges and universities across the nation. Students participating in the program will receive SAT preparation, attend college admission and financial aid workshops, receive assistance with college applications, and visit colleges and universities during summer tours. After admission to a top-tier university, students will be assigned an EMERGE counselor, who will follow them throughout their college experience and provide additional guidance. This includes summer internships, study abroad opportunities, and other résumé-building experiences. EMERGE graduates have attended MIT, Yale, Rice, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, UT-Austin, and more.