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Last week, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the state is raffling off scholarships to New Yorkers between the ages of 12 and 17 who go out and get a COVID-19 vaccine in the next several weeks.
Scholarships include full tuition and board to any public college or university for the full four years for adolescents who get their shot.
In the first week of the program, 45,883 New Yorkers in that age group received their first shot and were entered into the raffle to become eligible for the scholarships.
Of the first 10 winners to receive their scholarships was Nassau County resident Hannah Lee, of Westbury, who now has the option of going to school for free when she heads off to college.
Other winners were:
- Liam Burke, of Westchester;
- Bai Tang Jiang, of Queens;
- Jack Lucchesi, of Victor;
- Charlotte D’Agostino, of the Bronx;
- Ariana Nasr, of Bayside;
- Adam Judson, of Albany;
- Jack McAuliffe, of Chazy;
- Chase French, of Penfield;
- Peter Smith, of Syracuse.
“If we want to defeat COVID once and for all we have to vaccinate every single New Yorker, and the 'Get A Shot to Make Your Future' incentive focuses on a key demographic with the lowest vaccination rates—our youth," Cuomo said.
"This is a life-changing opportunity for young New Yorkers to receive full scholarships to SUNY or CUNY colleges in exchange for getting vaccinated to protect their families and their communities. So congratulations to our first round of scholarship winners and thank you for doing your part in our state's fight against COVID."
During a COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday, June 2 at the Javitz Center in Manhattan, Cuomo estimated that the total value of the four-year scholarships could exceed $100,000 for families.
“Congratulations to (the students) that just won a full four-year scholarship, room, and board to any state college or university,” he added. “So congratulations to them, and to their parents, because funding college is a nightmare for all families all across America.
“So for the students, it’s great, but for the parents, it’s also great that they know this is something they will not have to worry about.”
Each week through Wednesday, July 7, 10 more students will be chosen for scholarships through the raffle in New York. Anyone who receives a vaccine during the program will have their name in each drawing moving forward.
“Congratulations to the winners of the first 'Get a Shot to Make your Future' drawing. By getting vaccinated, these young New Yorkers are doing their part to put COVID-19 behind us and accelerate the recovery of our State and City,” CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez said
“We look forward to welcoming these students to CUNY where they will obtain the skills and professional development they need to join the highly skilled workforce that will be crucial to our region's economic comeback.”
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