Detroit’s Cheyenne Boyce Wins Tom Joyner Foundation® ‘Full Ride’ Scholarship to Black College

Cheyenne Boyce, the No. 1 student at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, MI, is this year's winner of the Tom Joyner Foundation "Full Ride Scholarship" to a black college. For up to 10 semesters, she will a scholarship to cover her tuition, room and board and books. Boyce studies Japanese, plays the cello, and works as a volunteer in various church and civic groups in Detroit, including the city's "Go Green" efforts.

Dallas, TX, April 07, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Cheyenne Boyce, of Detroit, MI, is the 2010 winner of the Tom Joyner Foundation® “Full Ride Scholarship” that will cover full tuition, room and board (on-campus only) and books up to 10 semesters.

Tom Joyner, the Foundation’s chairman and founder, called Boyce this morning during the “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” which airs in 115 markets and reaches more than eight million listeners every week. Boyce was selected from more than 500 applicants for the scholarship.

“I was totally in shock when I got the call,” said Boyce, the oldest of three daughters. “In fact, when I hung up, my sister asked me if it was an April Fool’s joke! .. I’ve worked so hard in junior high and in high school, and now all this work is paying off. This [scholarship] is so important to me because the financial burden isn’t on my family, and I can focus on my studies.”

Boyce, who is the third Tom Joyner Foundation Full Ride Scholar, said she is undecided about which black college to attend in the fall, but plans on doing some research over the next week.

Joyner, who was among the judges, said he was impressed with Boyce’s overall academic record, poise and determination. “Cheyenne is an outstanding student who has worked hard to become the No. 1 student at one of Detroit’s most competitive schools,” Joyner said. “I’m so proud of what she’s accomplished, and that she’ll represent the Foundation as one of our Full Ride scholars.”

Other judges included Thomas Joyner, Jr., the Foundation’s president and CEO, Oscar Joyner, president and COO of Reach Media Inc. and Executive Producer of the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Myra J., writer for Tyler Perry Studios and several members of the media.

Boyce is ranked No. 1 at Detroit’s highly competitive Cass Technical High School where she is interested in international relations, the environment and music. She’s graduating with a 4.0 grade point average and has studied Japanese throughout high school, including traveling to the country last summer where she lived with a family. She plays the cello and is headed to New York to perform.

“I want everyone in Detroit to look at me and say, ‘I can do it, I can succeed if I work hard,’” Boyce said. “You can get good grades, have a social life and go to college.”

Brian Diskin, a teacher in Cass Technical’s Social Studies Department, said in his recommendation that Boyce “is among the very best students I have taught over my nineteen year career.” “Cheyenne has a multitude of academic skills that she uses to greatest effect,” he said. Sophia Sims, guidance counselor at the high school, wrote, “When I think of Cheyenne Boyce, three words come to mind – intelligent, focused and talented. Miss Boyce has always taken the most challenging classes available and these efforts have given her a strong and competitive foundation.”

The two previous Tom Joyner Full Ride Scholars – Britney Wilson of Brooklyn, NY and Blaine Robertson of Reserve, LA – both attend Howard University in Washington, DC.

To retain the scholarship, students had to meet the required academic standards each semester. Graduating high school seniors applied for the scholarship by going to BlackAmericaWeb.com.

To be eligible, students had to meet the following criteria: 1.) Be a United States citizen; 2.) Be a current high school senior attending school in the United States. Each applicant must complete high school in the spring of 2010; 3.) Have a minimum high school grade point average of 3.5 (on a 4.0 grade scale, excluding home school studies) and minimum SAT score of 1300 (math and verbal only) or ACT score of 28; 4.) Applicants had to apply and be accepted to an HBCU by July 1, 2010; 5.) Applicants must have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation in community service and extracurricular activities.

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