Student earns $200,000 scholarship

Central Catholic High School senior Emerald Woodberry has received one of the largest scholarships in Toledo history.

Woodberry earned the $200,000 scholarship to the University of Notre Dame through the QuestBridge National College Match program. QuestBridge links bright, motivated low-income students with educational and scholarship opportunities at some of the nation’s best colleges, according to its Web site.

Woodberry started looking at Notre Dame when she applied and was accepted into the African-American Scholars Program at the university the summer before her senior year. She really liked the school and bonded with the other students. The program accepted only 50 students in the country.

In September, Greg Owens, an academic adviser at Central, told Woodberry to apply for the QuestBridge scholarship. He had done research online and found that Woodberry met the qualifications.

“Emerald’s attitude has always been, ‘I can do better,’” McGhee said. Woodberry also “took risks that other kids didn’t want to take.”

“I’m happy about it. When I first got it, I didn’t know what to think,” Woodberry said. She even double-checked to make sure she really had won the scholarship.

Woodberry is a member of the National Honor Society and is a Regents Scholar, which is a special program for students with grade point averages higher than 4.0.

Emerald Woodberry is also a member of the golf team, the African-American Club and Gospel choir. She is on the executive board for student council at Central.

“Taking on a leadership role gives you a step up in the game,” Woodberry said, explaining that leadership roles give her initiative and make her want to do better. “People are watching you, and they have high expectations.”