The Washington Apple Education Foundation (WAEF) awarded 318 scholarships to students this year.
Jacky Mejia, Othello, is the recipient of the Washington Fruit & Produce/Royal High School Scholarship. Meija is a graduate of Royal High School and the daughter of Santiago Calderon and Jaquelin Calderon.
Of the 318 scholarships, 218 were awarded to renewing students and 100 new students were welcomed to the WAEF family. These scholarships represent more than $1 million sponsored by the tree fruit industry through various fundraisers, in memory of industry leaders and friends and annual donations. WAEF scholarships are awarded to students whose families have ties to the tree fruit industry, specifically apples, pears and cherries. In most instances, the parents of recipients are employed in orchards and warehouses.
The scholarship program has a history of remarkable statistics regarding the retention of students at 87 percent. Additionally, 84 percent of WAEF students graduate within four years or less from college/university, and 78 percent of the students served are first-generation college/university students. The Beyond the Scholarship Program secures WAEF students' success through mentoring, workshops, care packages, career exploration, regional events and continuous follow-up throughout their academic careers.
Click here to see the full list of scholarship recipients.
For more information:
Faviola Barbosa
Washington Apple Education Foundation
Tel: +1 (509) 663-7713
faviola.barbosa@waef.org
http://www.waef.org/