On June 17, Alston & Bird co-hosted a reception in its Washington, D.C., office to celebrate 21 Ballou High School graduates in the inaugural class to receive scholarships from the Passport to Success Scholarship Program provided by the Friends of Ballou, a nonprofit advisory and fundraising group for the high school. The scholarships are part of an initiative by the Friends of Ballou and individual donors to turn around one of the toughest, most dangerous high schools in the city.
Royelle Jones, one of the scholarship students, is serving as an intern in the Washington, D.C., office, and beginning her collegiate career at Penn State in the fall.
Dennis Garris, partner-in-charge of Alston & Bird’s D.C. office and a member of the Friends of Ballou board, and Emily Mao, head of diversity for the D.C. office, both participated in the event, and have worked extensively in support of the school’s turnaround.
A local TV report on the reception can be viewed here:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Ballou_Scholarships_Washington_DC.html.