The George Washington Gale Scholar Program introduced Mackenzie Allbright, Darcy Anderson, Isaac Banda, Valeria Chavez, Eriana Dorsey, Ja’Nyah Ferguson, Serenitee Hanley, Amelia Gonzalez, Kameron Kaminski, Thirtsa Mpindi, Sofie Smith, and Ace Stanley as its latest inductees during a ceremony on Tuesday, May 6.

The program, named after Galesburg and Knox College founder George Washington Gale, began in 1996. It is a partnership between Knox College, Carl Sandburg College, and Galesburg Community School District 205 that encourages and supports higher education goals for first-generation and income-eligible students.

“It is an honor and privilege to announce the Gale Scholars Class of 2029,” Gale Scholars Director Steve Cheesman told WGIL. “These students are an impressive group academically, but more importantly, they are impressive human beings.”

The program, which was recognized by the Illinois Board of Higher Education in 1999 as one of the six exemplary “best practices,” within the State of Illinois, chooses 10 students each year for induction.

To qualify, students must meet college entrance exams and maintain a 2.5 minimum grade point average, perform 20 community service hours yearly, and attend summer school after each high school academic year. The scholars must also participate in at least a pair of school-sponsored activities. When the student completes the program, they earn a tuition-waiver scholarship toward completing associate and bachelor’s degree programs at Carl Sandburg and Knox. This year’s scholars held an average GPA of 3.64.

There are 63 Knox College Gale Scholar graduates with five new names joining the group this spring term.