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Youth Fair Rewards 63 High School Seniors

Posted on: Sunday, 7 May 2006, 06:05 CDT

By Gretel Sarmiento, The Miami Herald

May 7--The proceeds made during the 18-day Miami-Dade County Youth Fair will help 63 high school seniors from private and public schools continue their education in college.

The Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition Inc. will recognize the winners of $126,000 worth of scholarships Wednesday. Each of the students will receive $2,000 once enrolled in a school of their choice.

"It takes a little pressure off their shoulders to buy their books, buy whatever they need," said fair director Phillip Clark. "It's just one of the things we do with The Fair money."

Other things include the $20,000 given each year to students pursuing agriculture and ongoing financial support to animal husbandry and horticulture programs. Their youth achievement and athletic programs also recognize young students at middle school level. But their pride is the annual scholarship program, which this year, the 34th year, exceeded the $2 million mark in money offered.

"We look forward to giving the money each year. They deserve it," Clark said.

And some of them, such as Ashley Young from Coral Reef High, have been involved in The Fair's programs and competitions since sophomore year. Young, 18, doesn't know what school she'll be attending, but she knows what she'd like to be: a veterinarian.

"I've raised anything from cows, goats, lambs, to chickens and pigs," Young said.

She's the first in the family to graduate from high school and attend college.

Like her, participants had to write an essay about their extracurricular and school activities. Also, they had to explain why they deserved the award.

"I just think I've worked hard these four years. I'm passionate about what I do and without the help of scholarships, it would be a burden to my parents," Young said.

The money offers some relief to parents, but their smiles come from seeing their children's accomplishments.

"It's nice to see that someone else recognizes his work," said Lynn Cole, mother of Jeb Cole, a senior at South Dade High.

"It seems every year there's something else required for them to do. It's very hard to keep your grades up. But he works really hard," she said.

Asked how he managed to deal with it all, 18-year-old Jeb Cole said there's nothing to it.

"The first couple of years I struggled," said Cole, who during high school was involved in landscape design, bowling and golf clubs. "But then I set my mind straight and did what I needed to do get scholarships."

And he got it. "Any scholarship is great!"

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Miami Herald

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Source: The Miami Herald

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