WEST PALM BEACH — The South Florida Fair has awarded scholarships to 19 high school students totaling $50,750, continuing a 40-year tradition of supporting education. The fair received more than 100 applications from five counties for this year’s scholarships. Winners received their scholarships in a ceremony with fair dignitaries and their families during the 2022 fair, which recently ended. The winners’ scholarships range from $500 to $5,000 and can be used at any accredited institution of higher learning.

Since the program began in 1982, the South Florida Fair has awarded more than $800,000 in scholarships. This year they were awarded in two categories: general and agriculture. The fair’s scholarship committee selected the winners based on the students’ grades, need, and an essay each wrote to “Describe something you’re passionate about.”

Students from Palm Beach, Broward, Martin, Hendry, and Okeechobee counties were eligible to apply. Each finalist was interviewed by the fair’s scholarship committee, who selected the winners. Becky Isiminger chaired the volunteer committee, and Donna Winterson served as vice chair. Other volunteer committee volunteers were Tim Childers, Mabel Datena, Tiffany Faublas, Lee Glaze, Sarah B. Hoadley, Glenn Jergensen, Robi Jurney, Dan Lewis, Annis Manning, Stephanie Mitrione, John Severson, Christine Shaw, Bill Sneed, Aquannette Thomas, Eva Webb, Jalynsey Brown, Ashley Cacicedo, Alyssa Freeman, Joseph Garcia, Lauren Johnson, Ava Parker and Katie Sptizig.

The 2022 scholarship recipients were: Blaine Baxter of Jupiter High School; Leena Bolanos, Landry Pitts and Camber Pope, all from Glades Day School; Muhammad Chaudhry of Palm Beach Gardens High School, Kate Deviney of Dreyfoos School of the Arts, Megan Enriquez of Grandview Preparatory School; Malayna Estornell of Lake Worth Christian Academy; Zachary Fleisch and Carolina Seixas, both from American Heritage Academy’s Delray Beach campus; Gabriel Gerig of Inlet Grove Community High School; Sydnee Gilliam and Evelyn Howe from Clark Advanced Learning Center; Jaylin Ifill and Caroline McCray of Clewiston High School; Moshammet Jarin of Glades Central High School; Nicole Perez of Atlantic Community High School; Ryan Rudnet of Park Vista High School, and William Rimes of Seminole Ridge High School.