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    »     AMARILLO ISD

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With just weeks until graduation, Amarillo High Senior Sewar Ali has it 

all fi gured out. She works a job that she loves, interacting with hospital 
patients as she delivers their meals. “You get to know people and their 
side of things,” acknowledges Sewar, who hopes to have a career in 
the medical fi eld. In the fall, she’ll attend Amarillo College as a THRIVE 
Scholar. 

Sewar has a solid plan, but it wasn’t always that way. She started 

working to save money for college. Her father owns a mechanic shop, 
but as the oldest of three, Sewar knows the cost of college could add up 
quickly. Because she is a transfer student to AHS, she knew she wouldn’t 
be able to take advantage of the ACE Scholarship Program. “All through 
high school I was worried about paying for college and even about 
choosing a college,” Sewar says. “My father has done everything for me 
and I don’t want to take more from him than I have to.” 

THRIVE came along when Sewar least expected it. As soon as she 

realized THRIVE provides an opportunity for AISD students at any of the 
District’s four high school’s to earn 60 hours of college credit plus books 
and fees for free, Sewar knew her choice was already made. “THRIVE 
made my decision easier. THRIVE is kind of like a small little blessing. 
But really, it’s pretty big. That’s how I feel about it,” laughs Sewar. “And 
THRIVE is good for all students.” 

Choosing to THRIVE

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“We know from recent survey results a number of students 

transferred in to AISD this year specifi cally for the THRIVE Scholarship,” 

says AISD Director of Counseling and College & Career Readiness Tracey 

Morman.  “We had hoped that creating a scholarship any student in 

Amarillo ISD could take advantage of would fi ll a need among families 

who fall in the middle with incomes that are often too high for fi nancial 

aid, but yet too low to afford college without taking on debt.” 

Amarillo ISD is an open-transfer district, meaning there is no cost to 

transfer to AISD from other school districts to become a THRIVE Scholar 

or to be part of AISD’s choice programs not offered elsewhere. In most 

cases, students who transfer in can choose which school they want to 

attend. Transfer requests are accepted any time, though the priority 

deadline is typically early May.

For more information on the transfer process, 

contact the school you’re interested in or snap 

the QR code to learn more.