Three Rising MMSD Juniors Selected for Galin Scholars Program

Three Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) rising juniors were recently selected to participate in Madison-based educational nonprofit Galin Scholars’ second student cohort, joining three rising MMSD seniors entering their second year with the program as part of its inaugural class.

The Grade 11 students are Kelvin Hobenu (East High School), Alan Mecatl (Vel Phillips Memorial High School) and Saidu Njie (East High School); their Grade 12 counterparts are Angie Barrera Gonzalez (La Follette High School), Bill Chen (Vel Phillips Memorial High School) and Adriana Villagomez (La Follette High School).

“Every student deserves the resources, tools and confidence to design their own successful future,” said Langston Evans, MMSD’s director of college & career readiness. “We thank Galin Scholars for their work with young people of color, connecting them with world-class resources that will empower them to graduate from college and be successful in their careers and lives. Together, we can ensure every student achieves success.” 

Since its founding in 2022, Galin Scholars has helped students from demographics that have historically been underrepresented in higher education navigate the college preparation and admissions process, matching them with schools that are best aligned with their individual interests/strengths and best positioned to nurture their academic and professional aspirations. 

The program’s supports include personalized ACT preparation, college counseling, and academic coaching, as well as access to extracurricular opportunities in academics, arts and athletics, all at no cost to the participants, many of whom will be the first in their family to attend college.