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2004
Scholarship Winners
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Joseph Baker of Norphlet
Jack Cross of DeWitt |
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Joseph Baker |
Jack Cross |
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The New Horizons Scholarship Council, a public-private partnership, has awarded $40,000 scholarships to two Arkansas EAST Lab seniors. The scholarships, up to $10,000 per year for four years, will help these students obtain an information technology bachelor’s degree at a public Arkansas college or university. The 2004 scholarship winners are Joseph Baker of Norphlet High School and Jack Cross of DeWitt High School. Baker plans to attend Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, and Cross plans to attend University of Arkansas at Monticello.
“This scholarship program is designed to help bridge the gap for EAST Lab students who want to pursue their higher education in Arkansas,” said Claire Bailey, New Horizons Scholarship Chairman and Agency Director for the Department of Information Systems. “’Brain drain’ is a real problem for highly recruited IT positions, so State and corporate interest in retaining Arkansas talent is strong.”
Governor Mike Huckabee was instrumental in creating the New Horizons Scholarship Program. “It is gratifying to see that we are graduating students of this caliber who will make major contributions to our state,” Governor Huckabee said. New Horizons, a public-private initiative, provides EAST students the opportunity to further their education and training to better equip them to gain employment in the IT sector. Their four-year IT scholarship to an Arkansas state institution includes an internship with a public or not-for-profit entity where each recipient would be serving as they learn.
“It is nice when long hard work pays off, and this paid off extremely well,” Cross said after being awarded the scholarship. “I was just very thankful to EAST, the board, and my facilitator for the opportunity to compete for the money.”
With college tuition on the rise, the New Horizons Scholarship makes college a reality to hardworking students and allows them to focus on their education rather than paying for tuition. “The number one thing is [that] my family doesn’t have to worry about the financial burden of college,” Baker said. “Coming from a divorced family and being raised by a single parent, money was a big issue. Now that I received this scholarship, I can focus more on my studies and less on the money issue of college.”
Ed Drilling, president of SBC Arkansas, noted that SBC Communications has made a significant multi-year commitment to New Horizons. “As the state’s oldest and largest telecommunications provider, we realize the economic importance of technology,” Drilling said. “We are pleased to help Arkansas students continue their technology education because we believe it is an investment in the state’s future.”
The scholarship program is managed by the Arkansas Community Foundation. In addition to SBC Communications, sponsors include ALLTEL and Information Network of Arkansas. Other organizations involved in the council represent Arkansas Department of Information Systems, Arkansas Department of Higher Education, the EAST Initiative and Sells/Clark Advertising Agency.
Over 10,000 Arkansas students are participating in some of the most innovative and relevant educational experiences offered in schools today through the Environmental Spatial Technology Labs (EAST). EAST connects kids to the most advanced applications offered in school and provides opportunities to research and solve community problems in diverse teams. Students become active participants in their local communities and develop knowledge and skills that make them competitive and sought after in the work place. For more information, visit. www.newhorizonscholarship.org
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