Meet the 2011 NCR Darden Peer Leaders of the Year!

Moriah Perry (Surrattsville High): Moriah Perry has demonstrated responsibility and professionalism. As a Peer Leader, she is always ready to take the lead and get everyone motivated. Writing about her workshop experience she says, “The workshop was very useful to me. It was a guide to help me get started on my post-secondary plan. It started me on the right path to getting accepted to college. It also helped me to be a resource for my friends at school. When they had questions they would come and ask me for assistance.” Some of the ways she and her fellow Peer Leaders helped broaden their school’s college going-culture were by: sponsoring an “I am Going to College” assembly for all of the seniors, holding a college application session, promoting “Fantastic Fridays” where Peer Leaders invited senior and juniors to lunch to meet with college admissions staff and hear speakers talk about their careers. Academic excellence is important to her. She is a member of the National Honor Society, President of the Student Government Association, member of her school’s chorus, an executive board member of the Peer Mediators and a member of the girls’ basketball team. She has a cumulative GPA of 3.80 and is enrolled in AP courses. She has been accepted at Penn State, Hampton University, St. John’s University and Old Dominion University.

Tariq Simmons (Crossland High): Tariq Simmons brings vibrancy to his school community of learners and positively impacts the culture in his class. His curiosity and questioning skills are an integral aspect of his personality. He is a former member of his school’s Student Government Association, an honor roll student and a member of several other volunteer and extracurricular activities. His College Summit Advisor writes, “He has been a diligent and goal-driven student determined to reach academic success beyond high school. He holds an integral position in promoting school spirit and college-going atmosphere as a Peer Leader. “He created a comic strip to motivate his peers to complete their FAFSA. He helped initiate a College Summit Club and assisted in signing up over 50 students to join the club. The purpose of the club is to give individuals in all grade levels that do not have a College Summit class a chance to have the opportunity and skills needed to reach post-secondary success. The club met twice a month and focused on a different aspect of the college application process. His other activities included volunteering at his school’s financial aid workshop, speaking to 11th graders about taking advantage of opportunities presented to them, assisted in registering juniors for the May SAT and laying the groundwork for recruiting next year’s peer leaders. He does all of this while working part time after school and maintaining a 3.15 GPA. He has been accepted to Clark Atlanta University, Tuskegee University, Virginia Union University and Westminster College in PA where he received the 1852 Founder’s Grant worth $48,000 or $12,000 per year for up to four years.