Lake County Golden Triangle Rotary awards scholarships for 2023-24 school year
26 outstanding central Florida residents recognized for education and service achievements
Mount Dora, Florida (FL) – The Rotary Club of Lake County Golden Triangle awarded a total of $32,000 in scholarships for the 2023-24 academic year to 26 central Florida residents who are pursuing higher education degrees.
Morris W. Dunbar established a Nursing Scholarship in honor of his wife. The recipient is Tishanna Brown, Eustis High School graduate, studying at Lake-Sumter State College.
The Richard Earhart Endowment provides scholarships to students with Mount Dora as their hometown. Recipients are: Elijah Atwood, Mount Dora Christian Academy, studying industrial engineering at University of Central Florida; Ian Balajadia, Mount Dora High School, nursing, UCF; Kalista Hass, MDHS, elementary education, Southeastern University; and Dillon Terrance, MDCA, engineering, LSCC.
The Leon Hamilton Memorial Scholarship honors the principal at EHS from 1969 through1974 and a Rotarian for 54 years. The awardee is Mary Fisher of Tavares High School studying nursing at Hastings University.
The Norma Jean Schloot Endowment funds a scholarship for students in education and agriculture. It is awarded to Navyah Wallace of EHS who is studying education at Stetson University.
The Bill Bland Rotary Scholarship Fund helps students in finance and business, law enforcement, and agriculture. Awardees are Emily Baxter of Liberty Christian Preparatory School for studying criminal justice at Florida State University; Dustin Dunlap, THS, criminal justice, Mars Hill University; Jakari Dunston-Randolf, MDHS, business, Illinois State University; Alisandro Esquivel, MDHS, finance, UCF; Noah Fourari, MDHS, biomedical science and business, UCF; Kevin Frederic, MDCA, business, FSU; Alysia Fritzke, Umatilla High School, forensics, UCF; Mariah Keoster, MDCA, criminal justice, UCF; Hannah Leto, MDCA, fine arts and business, University of North Florida; Shelby Mulholland, UHS, public relations and business, University of Florida; Anai Mundo, MDHS, business, Rollins College; Caroline Oldham, MDCA, business, Clemson University; Jasmine Riggin, UHS, business, Santa Fe College; Dalton Romana, UHS, business, UNF; and Claudia Velazquez, MDCA, business, Faulkner University.
The rotary club is funding scholarships for Taria Burch, EHS graduate, for studying pharmacy at Florida A&M University; Paris Chambliss, MDHS, computer animation, Ringling College of Art and Design; Makayla Fenner, EHS, psychology and sociology, RC; and Shelby Taylor, UHS, psychology, SU.
“Rotary understands the importance of investing in the education of our future professionals and community leaders,” said Janet Porfilio Westlake, chair of the organization’s Youth Services Committee. “We are honored to facilitate these annual awards from locally grown scholarship funds to these energetic, focused and all-around impressive students.” The awards are based on criteria including scholastic ability, responsibility toward education and financial need with a special emphasis on community service.
The Golden Triangle Rotary meets on the first, second, and fourth Thursdays of the month at 11:45 a.m. at the Country Club of Mount Dora in Mount Dora. Find out more at www.lakecountyrotary.com.
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Photo caption: Seventeen of the 26 recipients of the Lake County Golden Triangle Rotary scholarships pose for a photograph during a luncheon on May 25 at the Country Club of Mount Dora. From left, Paris Chambliss, Navyah Wallace, Makayla Fenner, Anai Mundo, Shelby Taylor, Tishanna Brown, Emily Baxter, Alisandro Esquivel, Ian Balajadia, Mary Fisher, Kevin Frederick, Dillon Torrance, Claudia Velazquez, Elijah Atwood, Mariah Koester, Dalton Romana, Caroline Oldham. Photo credit: Vickie Mackler Stockglausner.
