Assemblyman William Scarborough presented William Scarborough Scholarships to three You Can Go To College Committee (YCGTCC) students at his district office recently. The students participated in the You Can Go To College Committee program, which has been helping students get into some of the top African American colleges in the country for the past 15 years.

Suraya Babb graduated from St. Mary’s High School and will be majoring in Architecture and Interior Design at New York Institute of Technology. Liana Comrie, a graduate of Hillcrest High School, will be attending Johnson C. Smith University, majoring in Political Science and Foreign Affairs. Lauren Taylor is a Marketing Major at Hampton University and is a graduate of St. Francis Preparatory High School.

Since their inception 15 years ago, this program is responsible for more than 4000 students being enrolled in colleges and universities across the nation. Many of these students would not have gone to college without the help of this organization. Executive Director Dorita Clarke and educator Sister Shirley Dye started the YCGTCC because they were deeply committed to helping students get a higher education.

Every Saturday morning, classes are held at Hillcrest High School, and though the majority of the students are from the Queens community, some students travel from the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island. Students from the ninth through the 12th grade are schooled in PSAT and SAT exam preparation, helped with college essays, applications, getting scholarships and navigating the complexities of getting into some of the finest colleges, particularly historically Black colleges in the country. They also offer annual college tours, where students are interviewed and receive immediate acceptances, parents financial aid workshops, paid and non paid internships, scholarships and a financial assistance finders program. Once the graduates get to college, they would not be forgotten. They will receive calls and gift packages from YCGTCC. For information on how to enroll for this free program, call the committee at 718-297-8802. Students from any high school will be considered.