Dozens of graduating seniors from Stoneman Douglas receive college scholarships

PARKLAND, Fla. (CBS12) — Dozens of graduating seniors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School took steps toward a bright future Wednesday after enduring a dark and heartbreaking year.

Fifty-six students in need from Parkland received a scholarship from the Broward Education Foundation to attend college this fall. The teens received anywhere from $500 to four-year tuition.

Gabriel Ocejo is one of the teens who accepted a scholarship for $3,000 to use over the course of three years. He plans to attend the University of Florida to study engineering as a pre-med student. It’s also where his older brother currently attends.

“Life always continues,” he said. “Every time I go to Douglas I try not to think about what happened. I try to think about the good memories instead of the bad ones.”

After experiencing heartbreak and trauma that no teenager should ever experience, Ocejo says the scholarship caps off the year on a more positive note, allowing him to look ahead.

“It was at times hard to believe, but after everything happened you just have to push through,” he said. “You can’t live in the past you have to move forward.”

The Parkland students were among a group of over 250 others who received scholarship money for college. This year, the Broward Education Foundation raised a record-breaking $1.5 million.