Transform Rhode Island Scholarship
Giving Rhode Island youth a voice, and power to change our communities with the greatest need, one big idea at a time.
Curriculum Guide for Educators
Students must answer just ONE question.
If you had $1 million to improve the lives of those who need it most in RI, how would you do it?
POC will invest $1 million in making the winning idea a reality and the winner will receive a $25,000 scholarship. Nine TRIS finalists’ will receive scholarships worth between $5,000-$15,000.
Since the Transform RI Scholarship (TRIS) was established in 2022, POC has invested more than $3.5 million in Rhode Island high school students’ ideas to improve the lives of those who need it most in the Ocean State.
See Past Winners
Scholarship Information
Now in its fourth year, TRIS is designed to seek out the most unique ideas from high school students on how to transform the Ocean State and support communities in the most need in Rhode Island.
Sebastian Connolly Working to Create State Wide Tutoring Program
The 2024 winner was Sebastian Connolly. His winning idea is to create an inter-school tutoring program that would recruit students from Rhode Island high schools with the most resources/best educational outcomes to tutor their peers at underserved schools in the state.
Leadership Rhode Island’s work with Siya Singhal.
Papitto Opportunity Connection Partners with Leadership Rhode Island to Make 14-year-old Siya Singhal’s Million-Dollar Idea Come to Life.
2022 Winner: Mariam Kaba
In 2022, almost 100 high school students from across Rhode Island applied for the first Transform RI Scholarship. Meet the five incredible winning students, whose ideas can truly change their communities.
Restoring The Villiage: Mariam Kaba
It takes a village to restore a village. Woonsocket High School senior Mariam Kaba, the Papitto Opportunity Connection 2022 Transform Rhode Island Scholarship (TRIS) winner, has spent the last year collaborating with a team from Leadership Rhode Island (LRI) to execute her vision of making her hometown of Woonsocket a better place to live and work.
Submit Your Ideas
Only by listening, can we truly help change narratives.