The young life of Michael Robinson is a story of sweat, studies and struggle. He is Springbrook’s first Ron Brown scholar; the designation, named after the late Clinton administration commerce secretary, comes with a $40,000 scholarship. It’s the latest accolade for an 18-year-old who grew up fatherless on a diet of canned foods and rice, endured months in a homeless shelter, and is now a first-generation college prospect choosing among Columbia, Princeton and Yale.
At each of those schools, about 7 percent of applicants were accepted this year. Of the 6,200 who applied for the Brown scholarship, 16 won the prize.
