DeShawn Adams, the Austin VOISE student who recently won a Gates Millennium Scholarship, relishes in the accomplishment at his high school on May 12. | William Camargo/Staff
DeShawn Adams, the Austin VOISE student who recently won a Gates Millennium Scholarship, relishes in the accomplishment at his high school on May 12. | William Camargo/Staff
DeShawn Adams, the Austin VOISE student who recently won a Gates Millennium Scholarship, relishes in the accomplishment at his high school on May 12. | William Camargo/Staff

Deshawn Adams, a student at Austin VOISE Academy, was recently among 1,000 high school students across the country to gain entry into an elite academic circle. The coveted Gates Millennium Scholars Program gives college scholarships to high-performing students who demonstrate financial need. Around 53,000 students applied for the scholarships.

According to a recent statement, Gates Millennium Scholars pays for recipients to go to any college of their choice and provides them with “leadership development opportunities, mentoring, academic and social support as well as financial support.” The six-year college graduation rate among Gates scholars is more than 90 percent.

Adams is the second Austin student to earn a Gates scholarship in the past five years, according to the high school’s website.