The news of a lifetime

Sommer Woodward

Just in time for Christmas, a Pryor senior received the best news of his life.

Raymond Simpson, 17-year-old assistant manager at the Allred Theater, was notified he was the recipient of a full-ride scholarship to Pomona College in California.

Simpson applied through the QuestBridge college match program, which connects low income students who do well in school with universities.

A counselor at the high school recommended Simpson apply for the scholarship and he was approved for $50,830 per year for four years.

For the application process, he had to write four different essays, answer 20 multiple choice questions and submit two teacher recommendations.

Simpson said it took him three weeks working every day on the Internet to fill out the application.

In the application, he was asked to list several universities he was interested in attending.

Pomona College was his number one choice. He picked Pomona because it is one of the top liberal arts schools in the nation, in addition to its small size with only 1,500 students and an eight to one student to teacher ratio.

He was notified by phone that he was awarded the scholarship.

When the woman on the line told him congratulations, he dropped the phone.

He picked it back up and listened as the woman repeated that he was picked for the scholarship.

“Then I screamed,” he said. “She said I was the first scream of the day.”

He went outside to sit on the car and catch his breath.

“I kept thinking I was dreaming,” he said.

Simpson explained every time something good happens to him, something bad follows, but so far, so good.

A short time later, he received the award letter and he began to believe again.

“I feel like I can walk straighter,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like I’ve got a weight on my shoulder anymore ... cause I could actually touch it.”

Simpson has always been successful in school and currently holds a 4.0 grade point average.

He’s editor of the yearbook, member of the science club, Octagon Club and takes teacher cadet and all honors classes.

His first attempt at community service was shopping for the angel tree and bell ringing for the Salvation Army.

“I love ringing that bell,” he said. “I’ve got a good rhythm.”

He credits Gene Oliver, owner of the Allred, with giving him an opportunity to work at the theater.

“Working here made me have the courage to go out and apply,” he said.

Simpson said the scholarship has relieved his worries about how he would pay for college.

The second of five children, he knew his family wouldn’t be able to afford college.

“It takes a real load off,” he said. “My father said he’d have to make the door bigger in our house so my head would fit through.”

Simpson lives with his father, Brian Simpson and his fiancé, Robyn Cole. His mother is Susan Simpson.

He said the most exciting part about getting the scholarship is getting to tell his grandmother because she’s his biggest supporter.

“She’s my oak tree ... sturdy and strong just like her,” he said. “Every time I have a bad situation or problem, she was there.”

Simpson said he’s very happy to go to the school of his choice and is ready to make his grandmother proud.

He loves the challenge of learning new things.

“Anything I can use in my life or learn, I’ll do it,” he said.

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