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Forty Texas Students Awarded Prestigious Horatio Alger State Scholarship
Boone Pickens Provides $5,000 Scholarships to Teens for Overcoming Adversity

Washington, D.C. (May 29, 2008) – The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is pleased to announce that it has awarded 40 scholarships to deserving high school students in Texas. Each Scholar will receive $5,000 to fund their college education. The state honorees were selected for the Horatio Alger State Scholarship Program because they made academics a priority while facing and overcoming great obstacles in their young lives.

Horatio Alger Association Immediate Past Chairman Dennis R. Washington said, “We are proud to present this award to the students of Texas who have demonstrated integrity and determination despite significant challenges. We envision great futures for these teens.”

The State Scholarship Programs, ranging from $2,500 to $10,500, are sponsored by Horatio Alger Members and friends of the Association. In 2008, the program awarded more than 900 scholarships to students throughout the country.

The Texas scholarships are made possible by Boone Pickens, a Horatio Alger Member.

“With the help of Boone Pickens, more young people will have a real chance at success beginning with a higher education,” Washington added.

Horatio Alger Scholars are provided with numerous resources to help them succeed while they are in college. Each student receives:

• Financial aid guidance to assist in selection of and preparation for college.
• Access to the Association’s Web site where students can create online profiles, search for fellow scholars, update their personal information, submit disbursement requests, and direct questions to the Association.
• Access to a toll-free information line to speak to program coordinators for assistance with questions about their scholarships and other educational programs.

The 2008 Texas recipients are:

• Oluwatosin Adunbarin of Missouri City, Thurgood Marshall High School
• Edden M. Agonafer of Waco, Waco High School
• Destiny R. Aponte of San Antonio, W Oliver Holmes High School
• Stephanie D. Bellew of La Porte, La Porte High School
• Marcella M. Bravo of San Antonio, Incarnate Word High School
• Pragadeesh Chokkalingam of Houston, Cypress Creek High School
• Jessica  A. Conly of Dallas, Seagoville High School
• Katie H. Connor of Arlington, Arlington High School
• Andrea Delgado of Edinburg, Edinburg High School
• Adrian A. Dominguez of Austin, The Griffin School
• Angela C. Ellis of Santa Fe, Santa Fe High School
• Meagan  E. Flores of College Station, A&M Consolidated High School
• Imani J. Franklin of Lewisville, Lewisville High School
• Adrian J. Garcia of Dallas, Skyline High School
• Leonel Garcia of Edinburg, Edinburg High School
• James R. George of Tuscola, Jim Ned High School
• Rigoberto N. Hernandez of Edinburg, Edinburg High School
• Wilson  M. Lenhart of Corpus Christie, Foy Moody High School
• Veronica A. Lizaola of Helotes, Sandra Day O’Connor High School
• Michael I. Lopez of El Paso, Irvin High School
• Sarah  R. Marroquin of Brownsville, Brownsville Porter High School
• Abbygail Martinez of La Porte, La Porte High School
• Raul A. Nava of Edinburg, Edinburg High School
• Katherine L. Patton of McKinney, McKinney Boyd High School
• Zaida G. Pena of Edinburg, Edinburg High School
• Juan J. Perez of Edinburg, Edinburg High School
• Yvette Perez of Lyford, Lyford High School
• Vianni  Ricano of San Isidro, San Isidro High School
• Jessica D. Rucker of Normangee, Normangee High School
• Cinthia  I. Salazar of Houston, Macarthur High School
• Ahsika M. Sanders of Arlington, Arlington High School
• Jessica L. Seaburg of Tyler, Chapel Hill High School
• Mary E. Sherwood of N Richland Hills, Richland Senior High School
• Paul O. Siabour of Dallas, First Baptist Academy
• Misti  R. Stewart of Dallas, Seagoville High School
• Michelle Tarantino of San Antonio, Communications Arts High School
• Jessica M. Todd of Terlingua, Big Bend High School
• Linda I. Ugbah of Houston, Elsik High School
• Daisy N. Valero of San Marcos, San Marcos High School
• Amber L. Vega of El Paso, Irvin High School

Scholars are encouraged to remain connected with the Association throughout their lifetime.

About the Horatio Alger Association:

Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans continues to fulfill its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals in our society who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. The Horatio Alger Association offers three annual scholarship programs: the National Scholarship Program and state scholarship programs available to high school seniors in all 50 states, and the Horatio Alger Military Veterans Scholarship Program for U.S. veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. The Association awards more than $12 million annually in college scholarships and has given over $62 million to deserving students since 1984. For more information about the scholarships, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

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