Jefferson High Alumni awards more than $240,000 in scholarships over 33 years

TAMPA, Fla. - For more than 30 years, Jefferson High School's Alumni Association has awarded scholarship money to college-bound seniors. 

"Education is very important, and a lot of these kids don't have the money to go to school," Jean Carol Longo from Jefferson High School's class of 1967 said. "They don't have the money to go to college, so we give them at least $1,000 each to start. And we know it's not a lot of money, but it does help."

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The alumni association has offered more than $240,000 in college scholarships to students over the course of 33 years.

"When you see these kids, and you see how smart they are, you see how hard they work. You can't help but love them," said Longo. "You can't help but want to help them do better, do well and do very well."

Students are grateful for the tradition. 

"I think it's a great thing to do," said Kathyria Garcia Soto, graduating senior from Jefferson High School. "It's something like to give back to the kids and just to keep the tradition going and to have that alumni association there is just really cool."