In surprise presentations at their high schools on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 Boone High School student Mary Claire Dillard, Olympia High School student Shivani Patel and Dr. Phillips High School student Nicole Parada were awarded the Magic Achievers Scholarship and two University of Central Florida (UCF) Minority Scholarships, respectively. Magic Community Ambassadors Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw along with other representatives from the team traveled to each winner’s high school to surprise the students with large novelty checks and news of their scholarships.
The Magic Achievers Scholarship awards one high school senior $10,000 ($2,500 annually). The winner must reside in Orange, Seminole or Osceola county and meet the academic and financial-need criteria. The academic requirements include a minimum 1010 (out of 1600)/1510 (out of 2400) on SAT and/or a minimum 21 ACT score, a weighted cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale, extracurricular activities/honors, two letters of recommendation and a 500 word essay on who has been the most influential person in your life to date and why. The scholarship may be used at any accredited four-year college or university in Florida. Mary Claire plans to attend the University of Florida in the fall and work towards a career in nursing.
The UCF Minority Scholarship, in its 17th year of existence, provides TWO $10,000 ($2,500 per year) scholarships to two minority students residing in Orange, Seminole or Osceola county who meet the academic and financial-need criteria. Some other requirements include: a minimum 1010 (out of 1600)/1510 (out of 2400) on SAT and/or a minimum 21 ACT score, a weighted cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, extracurricular activities/honors, two letters of recommendation and a 500 word essay on who has been the most influential person in your life to date and why. Patel and Parada will attend UCF in the fall and both plan to pursue careers in the medical field.
