Jim Hill High School valedictorian awarded over $1.5 million in scholarship offers

Xavian Branch with his mother at graduation June 1

Special to The Mississippi Link,

Xavian Branch with his mother at graduation June 1

Congratulations to Xavian Branch for receiving $1,511,282 in scholarship offers from 22 colleges/universities. He received offers from most Mississippi schools plus out-of-state schools like LSU, the University of Memphis, Xavier (LA), Xavier (OH), Howard, Morehouse, West Point, Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon University and many others. 

Xavian is the class valedictorian with a 4.8 GPA in the International Baccalaureate Diploma program. Other notable accomplishments are Star Student, Scholar-Athlete and he scored a 29 on the ACT.

According to Xavian, Jim Hill prepared him not only for college, but for life.

“When he emailed his survey back to me he stated that ‘I’m going to be the Million Dollar Baby this year,’” said Jim Hill Academic Adviser Major (R) Frank J. Branch. 

Branch also stated that his goal at Jim Hill is to work with the scholars, parents and senior counselor (Dr. Sampson) to get as many scholars as he can admitted/accepted into as many colleges as possible by November 1 of their senior year.

At the start of the semester, Xavian began filling out college applications with a goal that he has seen come to fruition.

His mother, Zandra Branch, knew in kindergarten that he would be an exceptional student. “I just can’t say enough about my baby,” she said. “I want him to make all the contributions in the world. If he keeps God foremost in his life, whatever he decides to do will prevail for him.”

Seniors in the Class of 2021 were awarded $13,397,361 million in scholarship offers. In the past five years, Branch has worked to secure $76,020,626 million in scholarships.

“I saw that our scholars were not getting any money for college, and I knew that money was out there,” said Branch. “I made it my goal to not only help them get into college but to help them  get the money.”

Xavian believed, achieved and succeeded.

“I have accomplished everything that I wanted in high school, and in the future, when I look back at all the hard work, I wouldn’t regret anything,” Xavian said.

He will be attending Mississippi College in the Fall but has not yet chosen a major.

“No matter where you come from or what others tell you, you can do whatever you believe,” added Xavian.

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