Key West High School seniors earn more than $3.2 million in scholarships

More than $3.2 million in scholarships was headed to Key West High School’s Class of 2026, a financial lift for about 258 of the school’s 339 seniors who plan to move on to national and state colleges, universities and vocational schools.

In Monroe County, that total is more than a ceremonial milestone. For families already balancing housing costs, travel, and the price of living in the island chain, scholarship money can decide whether a student enrolls at a university, starts a vocational program, or puts off higher education altogether. The awards came from a mix of local, state and national sources, including Take Stock in Children and Florida Bright Futures.

The size of the classwide total also underscored how many students are already moving toward a postsecondary path. With about 76% of the senior class planning to continue their education or training, the money reaches well beyond the auditorium and into the county’s workforce future. It can cover tuition, books, dorm costs and the gaps that often make college feel out of reach for Keys families.

The scholarships landed alongside stronger graduation numbers across Monroe County. The district’s federal graduation rate rose from 86.9% in 2023-24 to 91.9% in 2024-25. Key West High School improved from 88.9% to 92.3% during the same period, outpacing Florida’s statewide increase from 89.7% to 92.2%.

Take Stock in Children of Monroe County offered another sign of how much support is flowing through the local pipeline. On May 16, the group celebrated 69 graduating seniors at Marathon High School and said the class received a collective $2 million in Florida Prepaid tuition and dormitory scholarships. The organization said 40% of its 2026 class would attend a Florida college and 60% would attend one of the 12 Florida universities.

The total at Key West High also reflects how much the scholarship landscape has expanded. In 2022, the school said more than $300,000 in scholarships would be awarded to seniors through local donors and nonprofit organizations. In 2024, Key West High senior Pedro Morales received a $20,000 Dell scholarship, a Dell computer and $2,000 in textbook credit, a package that showed how one award can make a future at college far more realistic.

For Monroe County, the question is no longer whether students have talent. It is whether these dollars can help keep that talent in Florida, strengthen local opportunity and make the cost of leaving the Keys a little less punishing.