SAN ANTONIO -- Ten students on the East Side of San Antonio were awarded an opportunity of a lifetime Friday, that’s going to help them propel themselves through college. It’s all thanks to an NBA legend part in the Spurs community.
- Founded IDEA Public Schools
- Fellowship gifts scholarship and mentorship
- Entire senior class applied
“To go to the school that he founded. This guy is helping give me money, that’s crazy. Just to be next to him, this guy is a NBA legend too,” said Damian Pena, one of the recipients.
The Spurs All-Star is no stranger to helping out the community, he now calls home. Robinson founded the IDEA Public Schools school to help young people in San Antonio get a better chance at higher education.
“I might not look it, but I’m from the east side. It’s not the best neighborhood in San Antonio,” Pena said.
Now, 10 graduating seniors from the institution are being awarded the David Robinson Fellowship, a scholarship opportunity along with a mentorship led by Robinson himself.
“There are scholarship dollars but I think so much more, it’s once a month they’re getting to spend a whole Saturday with my dad getting to connect, ask questions. We want to bring in leaders from the community to really introduce them, get them out there so they can go off to college and hopefully comeback and bring that leadership back here,” David Robinson Jr. said, Founder of Friends of Carver.
“It means a chance to get out right,” Pena said.
It’s a chance to get outside of their East Side neighborhood to better their future without stacking up college debt.
“When he handed me the envelope, i was like oh man I got it. This is crazy, I kind of shed a few tears,” Pena said.
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Robinson Jr. said they had the whole senior class apply.
Plus, the thousands of dollars these kids are getting being awarded, comes without barriers.
“If you need to go home and see your parents, if you have medical bills or a car ticket, whatever it is that you need, send back money home to your folks, whatever it is it’s there for them,” Robinson Jr. said.
As families cheered on many of these first generation future college students, people like Pena will forever be grateful.
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“Get a career, be stable in life. I know what it’s like to not be stable. It means a lot,” Pena said.
The students who were awarded this scholarship will be able to utilize it for all four years of college for a total of $16,000 that each students receives. Next year, 10 more students will be up for this scholarship opportunity.