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Putnam County resident Franceska Drejaj, a senior at Brewster High School, won the four-year scholarship to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where she is planning on studying government and legal studies, according to an interview released by the Brewster Central School District.
Drejaj won the scholarship through QuestBridge, a nonprofit that helps high-performing low-income students attend leading colleges. She was one of only 1,755 students chosen from more than 17,900 applicants through the organization's National College Match Scholarship, something she earned through old-fashioned hard work, according to the school district.
Some of this work includes being on the Putnam County Youth Court, where she helps judge young first-time offenders, as well as being a member of the Governor's Youth Council, for which she presented a policy proposal regarding youth mental health to Gov. Kathy Hochul.
On top of this, Drejaj, a singer, also sang at the All State Music Festival in Rochester.
Despite the fact that Drejaj's selection for the scholarship was certainly well-earned, she still feels lucky to have received it.
"It’s like I won the lottery!" Drejaj said, adding, "I mean, this scholarship covers everything from room and board to travel. Bowdoin even gives us a Macbook and an Apple pencil. My dad was so happy about that. I am just so grateful to be part of the QuestBridge community.”
Drejaj was inspired to study government and legal studies at Bowdoin by her sixth-grade social studies teacher, who got her interested in politics during the 2016 election.
Once she starts attending the school, she also intends to join a singing group, as well as try new things, Drejaj said.
"I think the school fits my personality. I am excited for the outdoor orientation at the beginning of school. I think I will go white water rafting. I love lobster, so I’m excited for that. I don’t ski, but I guess I’ll have to learn!” she said in the interview.
As for her plans after college, Drejaj has set some high goals for herself.
"I want to be a politician. I want to change the world," she said, adding, "Maybe it has to do with being an older sister–my little brother was born three years ago and I have a sister who overcame some developmental delays. So, I feel like I’ve seen a lot. I want to make the world a better place.”
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