Representative Bohac Awards Scholarships
HOUSTON - Five college-bound students were awarded the second-annual State Representative Dwayne Bohac Textbook Scholarship this week as they prepare for their first semester this fall.
Derrick Thomas (Spring Woods High School), Lauren Rasmussen (Lutheran High North), Eric Contreras (Waltrip High School), Katie DeVoltz (Scarborough High School) and Kendra Kornegay (Houston Christian High School) were each awarded a $250 scholarship to help pay for their college textbooks as they begin the new school year. A team of educators, both current and retired, joined together as a committee to review the many applications received from students from each high school in Rep. Bohac’s district.
While the scholarship committee agreed all of the applicants were deserving, five individuals stood out.
“I am pleased and proud to honor these students with a scholarship award of $250 to be used toward the purchase of textbooks,” said Bohac. “I want to thank the parents, teachers, counselors and principals who worked hard to prepare these students for the future.”
In applying for the Dwayne Bohac Textbook Scholarship, students were asked to detail academic progress, including current school transcript information, class rank, SAT or ACT scores and overall grade point average. They were also asked to list extracurricular activities, particularly those that contribute to character development. These included athletic teams and academic clubs, after-school jobs, volunteer work, and religious activities. In addition, students were asked to complete an essay of 200 words given the opening line, “I feel the primary political challenge for my generation is…”
“I remember from my college days how difficult it can be to cover all the unforeseen costs, especially when it’s your first year,” remarked Bohac. “When you sit down with your family and draft a budget for tuition, fees and housing, it’s easy to overlook the costs of classroom materials and textbooks, which many times can add up to several hundred dollars per semester. Many families struggle to cover these initial costs, and it is my hope that these scholarships will help make the transition to college a little easier for these well-deserving students.”
“It is often said that knowledge is power,” wrote Bohac in a letter congratulating the scholarship recipients. “Armed with knowledge and a strong moral compass, one possesses the power to succeed in whatever he or she chooses to do. With the knowledge you have gained in high school and will gain in college, I hope you do as Henry David Thoreau directed and ‘Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined’.”