Student receives top scholarship
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Amerra Webster will use her Gates Millennium Scholarship to attend Dartmouth College.
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RONAN – When Amerra Webster talks about the difference receiving the Gates-Millennium Scholarship will make in her life, she can’t help but get teary-eyed.
She had performed well all her academic career in Ronan School District, where she attended through 10th grade, and she continued to get good marks at Chemawa Indian School, a boarding school in Oregon where she recently graduated. But when it came to college, the top institutions matched with Webster’s talent came with a price tag her family couldn’t afford.
“Without that scholarship I probably wouldn’t have been able to afford it,” Webster said. “I applied to all the colleges and got in, but I didn’t think I would get to go because of the prices.”
The estimated cost of attending Dartmouth College, where Webster intends to prepare for law school by majoring in Native American studies and government, is $71,000 per year. But the Gates- Millennium Scholarship will pay for every college cost she has. It’s an initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that gives a full-ride to high school seniors who are minority students and have financial need. There were more than 52,000 applicants this year, with 1,000 recipients of the award.
Webster said she knew the competition would be stiff and worried about making the cut.
“I don’t think I’m a genius,” Webster said.
But she was one of only 175 Native American students to receive the award.
Webster said she attributes her success to her family and tribal community.
“Especially my mom, Paula Webster,” Webster said. “She is a big part of who I am. She taught me. She watched me grow. I wasn’t even going to apply, but she was like ‘Amerra, do it.’ I never thought I would get into these schools or big scholarships. Also, I’m thankful for my tribal community. My accomplishments are their accomplishments. I can make my people, my community, and my friends proud.”
Webster hopes to tackle tribal sovereignty and water rights issues after she finishes law school.
“Hopefully I can come back and work at home,” Webster said.
