Horatio Alger Association Awards 12 Outstanding High School Students from Texas-Fort Worth with 2015 State Scholarships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 23, 2015

CONTACT:
McKenna Young
484-385-2913 (office)
myoung@briancom.com

Horatio Alger Association Awards 12 Outstanding High School Students from Texas-Fort Worth with 2015 State Scholarships

In partnership with BNSF Railway Foundation, Horatio Alger Association recognizes young men and women who have demonstrated perseverance and a commitment to education with individual scholarships of $7,000 each

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 23, 2015) – Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that 12 students from the Fort Worth area will receive its prestigious 2015 Horatio Alger State Scholarship. These young men and women are recognized for their admirable commitment to continuing their education and serving their communities, despite facing and overcoming adversity. Since 2006, the scholarship has been funded through the generosity of BNSF Railway Foundation.

Horatio Alger Association was founded in 1947, and since 1984, it has administered one of the nation’s largest privately-funded, need-based scholarship programs. The Association has awarded more than $110 million in undergraduate, graduate and specialized scholarships to students from across the United States, including all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. In 2000, 16 years after the establishment of its National Scholarship Program, Horatio Alger Members also began funding scholarships on a state level to further its mission of helping deserving young people pursue their collegiate goals.

“The 2015 State Scholars from Texas-Fort Worth all exhibit great perseverance, commitment and dedication to higher education, despite facing difficult life challenges on their path to success,” said David Sokol, chairman of Horatio Alger Association. “I feel privileged to be part of an organization that continues to support and provide guidance to these students so that they may pursue their dreams.”

The Horatio Alger Association received nearly 37,000 applications for its scholarship programs. Collectively, the 2015 Horatio Alger State Scholarship recipients have maintained an average GPA of 3.7 and an average SAT score of 1195 (out of 1600), while coming from households with an average annual income of $19,766. 72 percent of recipients have faced death, abandonment or incarceration of a parent and 37 percent have lived in a household where drugs and alcohol were abused. At the same time, 95 percent of recipients have been involved in community service activities and 61 percent worked during the school year.

Through the scholarship program, each recipient is awarded $7,000 to apply toward the tuition of the college or university of his or her choice. Additionally, Scholars will have access to a variety of resources including college preparatory support, access to guidance and crisis counselors as well as mentoring programs.

“We are grateful to the generosity of BNSF Railway Foundation, enabling these students from Fort Worth to further their education in partnership with Horatio Alger Association. Together, we are committed to assisting young Scholars who have overcome adversity to achieve their goals,” said Tony Novelly, president and CEO of Horatio Alger Association. “By providing deserving students with the financial and emotional support they need, we hope to ensure the American Dream for the future generation of leaders.”

For more information about Horatio Alger Association and its 2015 Scholars, please visit
https://www.horatioalger.org.

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About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:
Founded in 1947, Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. fulfills its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. Horatio Alger Association supports students through annual undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships and mentoring programs across the United States and Canada. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $100 million in college scholarships to deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.