MEMPHIS, Tenn. — At a time when so many incidents of teen violence in Memphis recently may have you losing hope, WREG knows you’ll like this story about hundreds of Whitehaven High students fighting for a brighter future.

Three hundred students received scholarship offers from across the country totaling more than $35 million dollars.

Thursday, the students were honored.

“He’s going to Austin Peay State,” said Correta Williams.

Her son, Fydale, is her first child to go to college.

Fydale Williams racked up nearly $1.5 million dollars in scholarship offers from several different colleges.

At a time when the city has heard very little except school fights, kids getting in trouble and even teen mob attacks, Fydale and his classmates were studying.

They showed just as many teens were fighting for a future. They refused to let circumstances get in the way.

“There are just as many teens trying to do good; do the right thing,” said Fydale.

Fydale said he hoped other kids would follow suit and strive to shape the city that they live in.

“You don’t have to have the best grades, best GPA or highest SAT score, but continue to persevere,” he said.