Contact: Horatio Alger Association
(301) 392-6053

Life's Hardships Yield Special Scholarships For 18 Wyoming High School Seniors

May 30, 2006/Washington, D.C. - Poverty, disability, foster care, parental substance abuse, and physical abuse are among the adversities that could not prevent one hundred outstanding high school seniors from throughout Wyoming from wanting to live out their American dream and have more for themselves. Each is now one of the first recipients of the Horatio Alger Wyoming Scholarship of two thousand five hundred dollars for their college education. This is the first group of recipients for the new program initiated last year.(A complete list of the 2006 Horatio Alger Wyoming Scholars immediately follows this release).

The eighteen 2006 Horatio Alger Wyoming Scholars have demonstrated success in academics, co-curricular activities and community service while taking on some of life's most difficult challenges. Each of these young people possess the aspirations and potential to make important contributions in Wyoming and throughout the world. The scholarship may be used to attend any college or university within the United States.

The Horatio Alger Wyoming Scholars Program is funded through the generosity of Walter Scott Jr. & Suzanne Scott. Mr. Scott was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association, an organization comprised of Americans who have overcome adversity and humble beginnings to achieve success. Mr. Scott serves as the Association's Chairman.

"No child should be denied access to a higher education because of financial need. This program will provide the incredible young people here in Wyoming with the opportunity to achieve their goals by making a college education attainable for them", states Walter Scott. Since 1984 the Horatio Alger Association's need based scholarship programs have helped hundreds of deserving students across the nation pursue their dreams of a post secondary education through their unique scholarships that recognize the circumstances and hardships of students as well as their achievements. Mr. Scott continues, "The Horatio Alger Association's experience working with students of limited financial means who want to obtain a college education is unmatched."

The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is a nonprofit educational association. Through the generosity of its members, more than $8.5 million in need-based college scholarships will be awarded this year to young people nationwide. For more information about the Association's scholarships and programs please visit www.horatioalger.org.

Applications for consideration as a 2007 Horatio Alger Wyoming Scholar are available June 1 through October 15, 2006 at www.horatioalger.org/scholarships.

2006 Wyoming Scholarship Winners

# # #