Since its establishment in 1992, the Big Tex Scholarship Program has continued to uphold the State Fair’s nonprofit mission of supporting agriculture, education, and community involvement. Looking forward to another year of supporting Texas students through college scholarships, the State Fair honored its Dallas-area 2019 scholarship recipients at the annual Big Tex Scholarship Awards Luncheon today. New recipients and their families gathered at the Tower Building in Fair Park for the event, with Pete Schenkel recipients hailing from six Dallas Independent School District (DISD) high schools in the Fair Park area and Seasonal Employee recipients hailing from across the DFW metroplex. Awarding a total of nearly $1.25 million in new college scholarships in 2019, the Fair recognized 85 Pete Schenkel Scholarship recipients from DISD and seven Seasonal Employee Scholarship recipients, in addition to 111 Youth Livestock Scholarship recipients from around the state who could not be in attendance.
Guests got the chance to hear from Brandon Todd, an anchor-reporter for Fox4 news, and presenter of the awards. Students loved listening to this year’s keynote speaker, Chief Dominique Artis of Dallas Fire-Rescue. He is a Dallas native and an alumnus of Roosevelt High School. In addition, attendees enjoyed hearing from Big Tex Scholarship Program alumnus, Marcus Johnson, who is now the assistant principal at his alma mater – James Madison High School.
The Big Tex Scholarship Program has awarded scholarships to nearly 2,500 students for a total of more than $12.5 million. To honor its past Chairman Pete Schenkel, each year the State Fair awards college scholarships to selected applicants from six DISD high schools surrounding the Fair Park area – Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, Franklin D. Roosevelt, James Madison, Lincoln, North Dallas, and Woodrow Wilson high schools. In addition, the State Fair awards scholarships to selected applicants who have participated in youth livestock competitions at the State Fair of Texas. The Seasonal Employee Scholarship serves a thank you to the Fair’s seasonal employees for their hard work and dedication to the State Fair of Texas.
A total of 85 graduating seniors from six DISD high schools were awarded the State Fair of Texas Pete Schenkel Scholarship at the annual celebration, including:
Franklin D. Roosevelt High School’s Alisha Gilstrap, Jennifer Lopez, Arcadio Maciel, Juanita Nicolas, Tayla Smith, Torri Smith, and Cortnie Williams
Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School’s Nathalie Chavez, Diana De La Paz, Nayeli De Leon, Mirka Estrada, Vanessa Guel Guerrero, Jacqueline Hernandez, Yuliana Hernandez, Veronica Ledezma, Joanna Marquez, Alexandra Mendoza, Jerusalen Olivarez, Vanessa Portugal, America Rodriguez, Kaylee Rojas, Paola Rojas, Htee Shee, Nancy Tapia, Juliza Vidales, and Yesenia Villalobos
James Madison High School’s Julissa Alcaraz, Precious Craddock, D’Andre Ford, Clarissa Garcia, Colby Glaspie, Kevin Goodwin, Dominique Robinson, Joshua Still, and Alvin Wheeler
Lincoln High Schools’ Micah Blanton, Jamondra Glennn, Kevion Graham, Jadia Jackson, Jadarion Jenkins, Naomi Jones, Riane Meekins, Jonathan Palma,Cintya Pineda, Zidyriun Robertson, Jamie Shaw, Zyriah Simmons, Ahreal White, and Tress Wright
North Dallas High School’s Aileen Arias, Xya Balderas, Catherine Cruz, Nathalie Flores, Alexis Galindo, Marielena Garcia, Gustavo Guerrero, SaNIya Lampkin, Huong Le, Nancy Le, Noel Lopez, Rogelio Martinez, Trung Nguyen, Laura Nguyen, Linda Nguyen, Ladaysha Robinson, Chrisopher Rodas, Viktoriia Rogozhnikova, and Elizabeth Tan
Woodrow Wilson High School’s Jonathan Abdo, Kayleigh Allen-Kettle, Victoria Casas, Trinity Forte, Annette Gallegos, Jackson Hansen, John Harrell, Olivia Hudgens, Kendyl Loper, Rachel Manak, Bianca Rivadeneria, Demi Robbins, Mariela Rodriguez, Dominique Salmeron, Nataly Segura, and Tuesdae Watson
A total of 7 recipients were awarded the State Fair of Texas Seasonal Employee Scholarship today at the annual celebration, including: Jonathan Craig, Haley Crooks, Hunter Crooks, Kendall Fagan, Spencer Johnson, Tremaine Kemp, and Leslie Tinoco-Ruiz.
A total of 111 Youth Livestock Scholarships were awarded to graduating seniors from across the Lone Star State, including: Abby Geye of Rising Star, Alexandrea Stokes of Valley View, Alexis Hargrove of Clifton, Aliana Evans of Stephenville, Allison Halfmann of Garden City, Annie Braack of Pilot Point, Annie Gillispie of Brownwood, Ashleigh Sugg of Henderson, Ashley Hahn of Doss, Aubrey Pearson of Paradise, Augustus Longron of Orange, Avry Wood of Alba, Brayden Vancil of Kilgore, Braylee Mackie of Lott, Briana Hicks of Danbury, Bryson Morrow of Bridgeport, Caleb Behrends of Fredericksburg, Caryle Winfrey of Seminole, Carter Burgin of Spearman, Cason Lutrick of Godley, Cassidy Zaiontz of Atascosa, Chance Clipper of Huntsville, Chasity Duncan of Conroe, Clara Steglich of Holland, Clayton Eckhardt of New Braunfels, Colten Fisher of Wylie, Coltin Walton of Conroe, Colton Ripley of Franklin, Coy Harris of Cooper, Dayton Wood of Cumby, Dylan Chilcutt of Weatherford, Elisa DeLong of Fredericksburg, Gracie Hawkins of Livingston, Hadley Brooks of Krum, Hagan Halfmann of Garden City, Hannah Chumchal of Wharton, Hannah Hooper of Hale Center, Harley Bridges of Ponder, Hayden Wuensche of Victoria, Hollie Berg of Pearland, Jacob Bons of Grandview, Jacob Bagby of Stephenville, Jadan Butler of Berclair, Jaxson Dillard of Merit, Jenna Le Blanc of East Bernard, Jonathan Lackie of Dalhart, Kailyn O’Brien of Corpus Christi, Kaitlin Rothbauer of Rockwall, Kaitlin Schroeder of Caldwell, Kaitlyn Kempen of San Antonio, Kameryn Slayton of Lubbock, Kara Luckett of Matador, Karlee Collins of Aubrey, Katelin Berry of Stratford, Kayla Boettcher of Lexington, Kelsey Bordovsky of Riviera, Kennedy Box of Weatherford, Kenzy Hoffman of New Braunfels, Kristen Massingill of Hamilton, Laelah Bickham of Boling, Landrey Rogers of Athens, Landry Cunningham of Iola, Lauren Thomas of Raymondville, Logan Thomas of Raymondville, Lyla Nervig of Roscoe, Mackenzie Oliver of Canton, Macy McDaniel of Chico, Madeline Makovy of Ennis, Madison Peterson of Snyder, Madison Gartman of Etoile, Maggie Chaffin of Morgan, Marti Lumpkins of Harper, Mason Pape of Justin, McKinley Begert of Allison, Meredith Ecord of Pennington, Miles Mathis of Kingsville, Morgan Johnson of Krum, Myka Blissard of Big Spring, Nathan Huston of Gainesville, Olivia Ognibene of Krum, Payton Herzog of Robinson, Perre Melton of Grand Saline, RaeAnn Rankin of Midlothian, Raevyn Heater of Spearman, Reagan Wagner of Hamilton, Rhett Guzman of Lytle, Rowdy Baker of Lott, Rylie Philipello of Bryan, Samuel McSpadden of Holliday, Shaelyn Rainey of Stephenville, Sierra Stephens of Hearne, Tally Patton of Silverton, Tara Whitely of Sanger, Taylor Swonke of Franklin, Thomas Edwards of Valley Spring, Thomas Taylor of Del Rio, Tomi Capps of Lindale, Tommy Butler III of Perryton, Trent Stefka of Caldwell, Trey Terry of Bellevue, Wesley Janik of Yoakum, Wesley Browne of Waxahachie, Whitney Stults of Arlington, William Sanders of Hillsboro, William Scogin of Raymondville, Wyatt Wharton of Ben Franklin, Zachary Downe of Gainesville, Zane Allen of Gail, and Zoe Carlisle of Mount Pleasant.
Recipients receive a $6,000 grant, renewable each semester if the student meets the criteria for renewal. Students must attend an accredited college, university, or trade school within the state of Texas. In order to qualify for scholarship renewal, recipients must enroll in, and pass, a minimum of 12 hours each semester. In addition, recipients must achieve a minimum 2.5 GPA their first semester and a 3.0 cumulative GPA for every semester thereafter.
The Fair congratulates these deserving students on their accomplishments and is happy to support them in pursuing their dreams. The State Fair of Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and does not receive any government funding or support. Its nonprofit purpose is funded through the proceeds from the annual State Fair of Texas event. The net proceeds from the Fair are reinvested in Fair Park, in the form of capital improvements; given as scholarships to deserving students throughout the state of Texas; used to support Fair Park museum facilities and community outreach programs; and used to improve the State Fair’s operation. Help support the Fair’s mission of celebrating all things Texan by promoting agriculture, education, and community involvement through quality entertainment in a family-friendly environment at this year’s exposition.
About the State Fair of Texas
Since its inception in 1886, the State Fair of Texas has celebrated all things Texan by promoting agriculture, education, and community involvement through quality entertainment in a family-friendly environment. The State Fair of Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with proceeds helping to preserve and improve our home, Fair Park; underwrite museums, community initiatives, and scholarship programs to support students throughout the Lone Star State pursuing higher education; and help improve State Fair operations. The 2019 exposition runs September 27 through October 20 in Fair Park. Visit BigTex.com for more information.
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The gates will be open for the 2019 State Fair of Texas starting September 27 through October 20, with the theme “Celebrating Texas Creativity.”
