Florida Association of Realtors® Announces District Scholarship Winners
ORLANDO, FL – May 19, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — Thirteen talented seniors from public and private high schools across the state each have been awarded a $1,000 scholarship as district winners of the Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR) 2008-2009 Scholarship/Essay Contest for High School Seniors.
The scholarship program helps deserving young people achieve their goals in college, and all seniors are eligible except for immediate family members of a Realtor, of a person with a real estate license or of a Realtor association’s staff. The top winning essays from FAR’s 13 districts across Florida now compete to win one of three $5,000 state-level FAR scholarships. Scholarships from FAR this year total $28,000.
First place winners of FAR’s $1,000 scholarship
| District 1 | Natalia Romanillos Alvarez of Jacksonville, Stanton College Preparatory School |
| District 2 | Leslie Ann Nery of Palm Bay, West Shore Junior/Senior High School |
| District 3 | Alexander Wierzbicki of West Palm Beach, Dreyfoos School of the Arts |
| District 4 | Laura Alexandra Sorondo of Miami, School for Advanced Studies |
| District 5 | Michael Axline of Naples, Naples High School |
| District 6 | Jordan Alyssa Andreu of Plant City, Durant Senior High School |
| District 7 | Laura Herbert of Ocala, Vanguard High School |
| District 8 | Kate Bollone of Tallahassee, Lincoln High School |
| District 9 | Minnie Cora Merritt of Crestview, Crestview Senior High School |
| District 10 | Philip S. Leggett of Lakeland, Auburndale Senior High School |
| District 11 | Jamie Cohn of Coral Springs, Coral Springs Charter School |
| District 12 | Samantha Adessa of Casselberry, Lake Howell High School |
| District 13 | Alise Vick of Bradenton, Bayshore High School |
“Helping young people continue their education and fulfill their dreams for the future is an investment in our community,” says 2009 FAR President Cynthia Shelton, CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member). “Florida Realtors take great pride in our scholarship program, knowing that we are encouraging these students to achieve their college goals and giving them a boost on their path to success.”
A number of community leaders, media representatives, educators, business executives and Realtors from across the state volunteered their time and expertise to serve as judges for the district-level essay competition. The first-place district-winning essays — written on the topic, “How Does a Realtor Professional Benefit the Community?” — will be reviewed by a state panel of judges, who will select the top three state winners. State scholarship winners may be announced either prior to, or as part of, FAR’s 2009 Convention & Trade Expo held Aug. 18-23 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando.
The Florida Association of Realtors, the voice for real estate in Florida, provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 115,000 members in 67 local boards/associations.
