Local nonprofit, New Futures, that serves low-income children, youth, and families in Burien and SeaTac, will celebrate the academic achievements of four students at a May 4th benefit breakfast honoring the 2011 New Futures Scholars.

The Sixth Annual Get Inspired! Breakfast, held at the Washington State Convention Center and emceed by KIRO's Angela Russell, features four Highline School District students who will each receive a $1,500 scholarship for higher education. Says New Futures Executive Director Mario Paredes, "It's a fabulous opportunity we offer to these students, to recognize their work and inspire their higher education endeavors. Not only do we hold the opportunity to inspire these four scholars, but also their families and friends, and the other youth throughout New Futures programs who aspire to reach for higher accomplishments."

One of last year's New Futures Get Inspired! scholars, Bikram Subba, was also awarded a $5,000 scholarship from the 2010 Sun Life Financial's Rising Star Awards. His photo was recently featured in the Highline Times alongside Venus Williams (http://bit.ly/ibuhjI). Bikram is currently pursuing a career in medical administration at Highline Community College and dreams of improving the health care system. Bikram says, "I want to make the system better so that people do not have to struggle like they do now."

Anyone interested in learning more about New Futures' work is invited to attend the breakfast event, which will take place on Wednesday, May 4th at the Washington State Convention Center from 7:30- 8:30 p.m. Guests will be asked to make a contribution. For more information, visit www.newfutures.org or contact Katie Boehm at katieb@newfutures.org, 206-248-9647.

New Futures works with South King County's most vulnerable and difficult-to-reach children, youth, and families, operating vibrant community learning centers in four low-income apartment complexes in South King County (3 in Burien and 1 in SeaTac). New Futures' mission is to partner with families in their communities and with educators to ensure that children succeed in school and life, serving more than 1,800 individuals each year.

New Futures' on-site, strengths-based programs integrate work on four levels: (1) They support children and youth ages 3 to 18 to improve their academic skills, access enrichment opportunities, and plan for their post-secondary academic futures; (2) They partner with parents to help them meet their families' basic needs, become involved in their children's schools, and develop their leadership skills; (3) They build community to ease feelings of isolation, strengthen families' support networks, and improve safety and quality of life in each neighborhood, and (4) They work closely with schools to provide teachers and school leaders with training to strengthen their cultural proficiency and to close the achievement gap.