Godwin HS senior surprised with $40k scholarship on national TV

Mills Godwin High School senior Steven Londono was one of 25 U.S. high school students awarded $40,000 for the College Board’s Complete Your Journey scholarship during a segment on Good Morning America on ABC March 31.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students first needed to complete six steps designed to help them plan and pay for college, including building a list of potential colleges, practicing for the SAT, exploring scholarship opportunities and applying to colleges, according to College Board’s website. Once completed, students were entered into a drawing for the chance to win $40,000.

Londono was originally contacted by a representative from Good Morning America and asked to come on the show in a Zoom to discuss what it’s like graduating high school during the pandemic, but was then surprised with the scholarship, he said.

“I completely thought I was just going to see myself in a tiny little panel for like 30 seconds,” he said. “Then, all of a sudden the College Board president appeared, and I was like, ‘whoa, this is big.’”

Londono is putting the scholarship money toward tuition to James Madison University, where he’s attending in the fall.

“I’ve always dreaded the amount of debt I’d have to accumulate to get a higher education, so this was a huge blessing, because now I know that I can ease up about the future and look more forward to going to college,” he said.

Londono is planning on double majoring in music and a social science of some kind, possibly psychology or anthropology, he said.

“My passion is music, which is a risky thing, because you might not get that much money as a musician, but the scholarship will allow me more financial freedom,” he said.

Londono said the reality of the scholarship money hasn’t set in yet, but he feels extremely lucky.

“I know in the future I’m going to look back on that moment and be forever grateful,” he said.