The South Florida Fair awarded $35,000 in scholarships to 21 area high school students from more than 200 applicants this year.
Winners and their parents were treated to a reception in the fair’s hospitality room prior to the awards ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 17. The students won awards ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 in four categories: general, arts and entertainment, agriculture and band. This year, the fair awarded a new scholarship from the Kahlert Family Foundation.
Students from high schools in Palm Beach, Broward, Hendry, Martin and Okeechobee counties are eligible to apply.
The winners are selected based on grades, need and a short essay written on the topic, “How I would benefit from receiving this scholarship.”
Committee members are Chair Becky Isiminger, Vice Chair Annis Manning, Tim Childers, Lee Glaze, Zoila Hernandez, Dan Lewis, Rob Pendleton, Eva Webb and Donna Winterson.
The 2016 winners are: Amanda Alli of Royal Palm Beach High School, Alisha Bryand of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts, Jac’khi Britt of Palm Beach Lakes High School, Victoria Campanale and Jonathan Neff of Wellington High School, Lauren Diaz of Glades Central High School, Taylor Doherty of Olympic Heights High School, Kacie Durance and Weston O’Neal Rayburn of Clewiston High School, Kendall Hill of Palm Beach Central High School, Richard Laskey of Okeechobee High School, Emily Moorhead of Atlantic High School, Patrick Powell and Matthew Smith of Seminole Ridge High School, Michael J. Eckerle of Jupiter High School, Clayton Stein and Eric Schultz of Glades Day School, and Narrelle Gilchrist and Emily Rynn Bercaw, who are homeschooled.
The fair’s scholarship program, established in 1982, has awarded approximately $528,000 in scholarships.
ABOVE: (First row) Kacie Durance, Amanda Alli, Norell Gilchrist, Victoria Campanile, Alisha Bryant, Jac’khi Britt, Emily Moorehead, Lauren Diaz and Kendall Hill. (Back row) Richard Laskey, Clayton Stein, Eric Schultz, Weston Rayburn, Patrick Powell, Jonathan Neff, Matthew Smith and Michael Eckerle.
