JPS student earns nearly $2 million in scholarships for college

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A Jackson student has been awarded nearly $2 million in scholarship money.

“I have received scholarships from University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor,” revealed Jahliyah Readus.

Readus read off the more than 20 colleges and universities who have offered her nearly $2 million in scholarship money. She is excited, overwhelmed and humbled by all the offers.

“Xavier University of Louisiana, Dillard University, Jacksonville State University, Millsaps, Mississippi University for Women.”

Since kindergarten she has been an honor student. In fact, her family says they always knew she was something special.

“To be honest, I always knew she was going to be a gifted baby. I knew anything that was in her pathway she would always accomplish,” said Jahliyah’s mother, Crystal Readus.

The well-rounded student also volunteers and participates and extracurricular activities.

“I do community service, I am in the National Honor Society, I am the president. I am the senior class president of my school’s SGA, and I have done choir in past years.”

The high school senior attends the Jackson Public Schools - Tougaloo Early College High School, but her home school is Jim Hill in Jackson.

“When I finish this program, I will finish with an associate degree from Tougaloo and I am a biology major, and I plan to keep pursuing biology.”

With so many offers on the table, she is not quite sure what school she will choose just yet… but she does plan to attend an Historically Black College.

“I really love the importance of HBCUs and the culture,” she stated. “I love the idea that I can go to a school that was made for people who look like me. I feel like I will have a great advantage going to a school that basically will take me in and get me where I need to be.”

Readus’ goal is to become a pediatrician and she encourages other young people to keep striving for excellence because it will pay off.

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