Cypress Ridge Junior Wins $40,000 BigFuture Scholarship for College Planning Milestone
Cypress Ridge High School junior Allison Ramirez didn’t expect tears to come when she opened the door on September 24—but they did. Waiting to greet her was a surprise celebration filled with cheerleaders, teammates, staff, and College Board representatives bearing life-changing news: she had just been selected as a winner of the $40,000 College Board BigFuture scholarship.
“It was very shocking,” Ramirez said through emotion. “I honestly thought this was something that had a one in a million shot at winning, so when I did win, I didn’t know what to do but cry. All I could think was my mom and dad don’t have to worry anymore.”
Her parents, Edwin and Dinora Ramirez, were on hand to witness the announcement and celebrate their daughter’s hard work, along with members of the Cypress Ridge wrestling team, cheerleaders, campus leadership, and fellow classmates.
Cypress Ridge High School junior Allison Ramirez, second from left, won College Board’s BigFuture $40,000 scholarship. BigFuture Scholarships: Rewarding Real-World Steps Toward College
The College Board’s BigFuture Scholarship program awards monthly scholarships to high school juniors and seniors who take essential steps toward college and career readiness using the free BigFuture online platform. Students are entered into drawings by completing simple but impactful planning actions—like building a college list, practicing for the SAT, exploring scholarships, or completing the FAFSA.
Each month, two students across the country win $40,000 scholarships, while hundreds more receive $500 awards. The initiative is designed to make college more accessible and reward real progress, not just academic scores.
For Allison, the opportunity came through her participation in CFISD’s College Academy, a program that enables students to graduate high school with both a diploma and an associate degree from Lone Star College–CyFair.
Mobile Sidebar Ad
“Before College Academy, I didn’t know anything about BigFuture,” she said. “When I was exploring the website, I saw the steps you could take to win this scholarship. I knew the family needed this, so I read through the instructions and completed my FAFSA form and listed three colleges that I’m interested in. I was then entered into the monthly drawings and here we are!”
Ramirez’s thoughtful approach to planning her future paid off in more ways than one—and now, she’s looking ahead. She plans to use her scholarship to attend a four-year university and hopes to major in either chemistry or pre-law.
Cypress Ridge Celebrates, Encourages Future Planners
Cypress Ridge Principal Dr. Abe Lozano praised Ramirez not only for her initiative, but for the ripple effect her win can have on her peers.
Ramirez’s parents, Edwin and Dinora, were part of the surprise scholarship announcement on Sept. 24. They were joined “We are incredibly proud of Allison,” Dr. Lozano said. “She truly embodies the best of Cypress Ridge and all of Ram Nation. By receiving this scholarship, I hope our students will recognize the potential opportunities that exist in applying for scholarships. I encourage them to use Allison’s experience as inspiration to explore their own possibilities as they plan their own path forward.”
As Cypress Ridge and CFISD continue supporting college and career readiness through programs like College Academy and tools like BigFuture, students like Allison are proving that a little planning—and a lot of heart—can go a long way.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
