In surprise presentations at their high schools on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 Winter Park High School student Ideanna Acosta, Evans High School student Shardy Camargo and Boone High School student Lisette Dominguez will be 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 will travel to Winter Park H.S., Boone High School and Evans 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 on SAT or 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 what has been the most rewarding life experience for you to date and why. The scholarship may be used at any accredited four-year college or university in Florida. Acosta plans to attend the University of Miami in the fall and work towards a career in the medical field. She is a valedictorian candidate for her high school.
The UCF Minority Scholarship, in its 16th 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 on SAT or 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 what has been the most rewarding life experience for you to date and why. Camargo will attend UCF in the fall and plans to study computer science and Dominguez will attend UCF in the fall and plans to study molecular biology.
“Since 1996, the Orlando Magic has awarded a total of 34 college scholarships. We are proud to provide this opportunity to deserving individuals like Ideanna, Shardy and Lisette,” said Linda Landman-Gonzalez, Orlando Magic vice president of community relations and government affairs. “They were awarded the scholarships for their exemplary community and academic achievements. We would also like to recognize the University of Central Florida for its partnership in providing the UCF Minority Scholarship.”
Source: Orlando Magic, Orlando Magic Awards $30,000 in Scholarships to High School Students.
About The Orlando Magic
Orlando’s NBA franchise since 1989, the Magic’s mission is to be world champions on and off the court, delivering legendary moments every step of the way. On the court, Orlando has won four division championships (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009), had five 50-plus win seasons, and won the Eastern Conference title in 1995. Off the court, on an annual basis the Orlando Magic gives more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise, scholarships and grants. Orlando Magic community relations programs impact an estimated 75,000 kids each year, while a Magic staff-wide initiative provides more than 5,000 volunteer hours annually. In addition, over the last 19 years nearly $15 million has been distributed to local non-profit community organizations via the Orlando Magic Youth Fund (OMYF), a fund of the McCormick Foundation since 1994, which serves at risk and disadvantaged youth.