Crenshaw High student to attend Oxford program — if she can raise enough money
Sharron Pearson is the first student from the Los Angeles school to be accepted by Oxford Tradition, officials say. She has a scholarship but figures she needs $2,500 for airfare and other expenses.
By Louis Sahagun | LA Times
When Crenshaw High School junior Sharron Pearson asked for permission to apply for a scholarship to attend a summer program at Oxford University, her father’s response was blunt: “No. We can’t afford it.”
Sharron, 17, applied anyway. “Then I went to work trying to persuade my parents to reconsider,” she recalled. “I just knew they’d come around and see things my way.”
A month ago, Sharron was among 400 high school students from around the world chosen to attend the Oxford Tradition 2009 on a scholarship that covers tuition, breakfast and dinner, and 28 days of room and board in a dorm. Her studies will emphasize drama and creative writing.
Sharron is the first Crenshaw High student to be accepted by the program, school officials said.
