David Lawson of Patrick County and Caesar Draper of Martinsville were among the recipients of 139 Last Dollar scholarships totaling $171,000 and 100 Community College scholar ships totaling $100,000 to Virginia high school students graduating in 2026.
GRASP (Great Aspirations Scholarship Program, Inc.), a non-profit, college and career access organization, headquartered in Richmond, recently announced the awards.
GRASP’s goal is to ensure that every student has an equal opportunity for continuing education after high school, regardless of financial or social circumstances. During the 2025-2026 academic year, GRASP implemented its programs via advisors who provide free, confidential, one-on-one counseling in 117 Virginia high schools to students seeking financial aid and scholarships for continuing education after high school – whether that is technical school, community college or a four-year university. Advisors conducted meetings with more than 8,500 students this school year.
GRASP advisors provided financial aid advising this year through in-person meetings as well as virtual meetings, phone calls, email, and texting, assisting students/families through the financial aid process to include completion of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as well as the VASA (Virginia Alternative State Aid) application. GRASP advisors now serve students and families in Virginia schools, from the greater Richmond area to Lee County in the southwest, Highland County in the west, Northumberland County in the north, Isle of Wight County in the east and Greensville and Patrick Counties in the south. The highly trained GRASP advisors are adept at navigating the maze of the postsecondary education financial aid process. They also have a passion for expanding students’ opportunities to learn.
The GRASP advising program and scholarships are made possible by generous donor support and the Commonwealth of Virginia year after year. Last Dollar scholarships are awarded to at least one student at each school GRASP serves. The Community College scholarships are awarded to students who plan to attend community college to receive a career certificate or transfer to a four-year college.
GRASP salutes the 2026 scholarship recipients. Many of this year’s scholarship recipients will be the first members of their families to attend postsecondary education. All have learned about the importance of continuing education as the next step for their future successes. This year, GRASP will host seven regional scholarship luncheons (Warsaw, South Hill, Cedar Bluff, Staunton, Richmond, Hopewell, and Williamsburg) to recognize GRASP Scholarship recipients as well as high school seniors who have participated in the early commitment scholarship (SOAR Virginia®) program, a collaboration that was created and funded by Commonwealth Savers (Invest529) to inspire and assist high school students to reach their postsecondary education goals.
Area legislators as well as school system superintendents and high school staff are also invited to be guests at the luncheons. Several legislators and school division officials have responded that they will be attending these luncheons. Feel free to contact pbuckley@grasp4va.org for an update on which legislators and superintendents will be attending each luncheon.
GRASP was co-founded in 1983 by Sen. Walter Stosch and Dr. Ray Gargiulo. GRASP advisors work one day per week at each school. Appointments, which are free of charge, can be made through the schools’ counseling offices. More in formation about GRASP is available at the web site, www.grasp4va.org.
