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Two Northwood High School seniors have received four-year, full-tuition scholarships as part of a national scholarship program that recognizes their potential to succeed in colleges that might otherwise overlook them.

Hanan Romodan and Stephanie Valenzuela were two of 13 Montgomery County Public Schools students chosen by The Posse Foundation in a competitive process in which 1,200 Washington, D.C., area students competed for 51 full-ride scholarships.

The Posse Foundation, a national merit-based scholarship program, searches for students who wouldn't necessarily stand out in the running for elite universities but who have the ability to succeed and excel at those schools nonetheless, said Marcy Mistrett, the director of The Posse Foundation in D.C.

The program partners with universities to recruit students who don't apply to the schools because they may not be able to afford it, whose grades aren't as stellar as their leadership skills or students who more closely reflect the demographics of the area, Mistrett said.

Students are nominated by someone in their school or community and undergo a rigorous interview process to be picked. Once picked, they have a summer leadership training seminar to prepare them for college. On campus, each student will have a mentor to guide them through their first year in college and a group of nine other Posse scholars—who serve as their "posse," Mistrett said—to support them along the way.

The idea is to help universities recruit a broader range of students and then keep those students in school, Mistrett said. More than 90 percent of Posse scholars graduate college, she said.

"Our overall goal is to make sure they end up being in power positions so the leadership of the country does reflect the diversity of our population," she said.

Romodan and Valenzuela said they're still coming to grips with the fact that they—out of everyone who applied—won the scholarships.

It's a dream come true, said Valenzuela, who will attend Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. But most of all, she said it's an affirmation that hard work pays off.

"People shouldn't give up on their hopes and dreams and think it's impossible to reach," Valenzuela said. "I never do anything but my best."

Both girls said they had to overcome several obstacles just to graduate, let alone earn a full-ride scholarship to a prestigious university.

Romodan, who will be attending Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, immigrated to America from Saudi Arabia as a tenth grader.

Although she spoke English, she had a lot of adjustments to make, she said.

"I always knew I had a disadvantage," Romodan said. She started off in regular courses but quickly advanced to college-level honors and Advanced Placement courses, where she excelled.

There, her classmate Valenzuela was already excelling—that is, until she fell seriously ill toward the end of her sophomore year.

Valenzuela missed much of her sophomore year and the beginning of her junior year due to hospital visits and stays. But she never let it deter her, she said.

"I would never let a sickness be an excuse for why my grades were lower," Valenzuela said.

Like most Posse scholars, Romodan and Valenzuela are the first in their families to attend a four-year university. Romodan said she had planned to attend Montgomery College, to save money like her brother did and transfer over to the University of Maryland.

Valenzuela said neither of her parents graduated high school, and she had been applying to colleges she knew she couldn't afford just "hoping for help."

Their principals and counselors at Northwood praised both girls, calling them deserving and well-rounded inside and outside of the classroom. (Valenzuela is the co-captain of the cheerleading squad and Romodan plays sports.)

For their part, the girls said they wouldn't have succeeded without the support and encouragement of teachers and counselors.

Without them, "it would be so difficult for me to go on with my life," Romodan said.