Jordan Long, of Washburn, a 2024 Southwest High School graduate, was recently named as a recipient of the rootEd Undergraduate Scholarship.

The root-Ed Undergraduate Scholarship offers students attending a 4-year University up to $12,000 a year for five years. Long is planning to attend Missouri State University to study physical education, where he will also be a manager for their women’s volleyball team.

The scholarships are from the rootEd Alliance, a philanthropic organization dedicated to ensuring students in rural communities graduate on a path to achieve career success and economic stability.

Long and his mother, Angela, are ecstatic for this opportunity to graduate college debt free.

Long is the fourth member of Southwest High School’s Class of 2024 who received external scholarships that will allow them to graduate debt free from college.

Southwest High School has a partnership with the rootED Alliance through Ozarks Technical Community College. root-Ed Alliance helps to provide some funding for the school’s college and career advisor, Cassie Hoadley.

She meets one-onone with every senior to discuss post-secondary options.