Twelve students of full-time horse farm workers are pursuing higher education this year with help of the Horse Farm Workers' Educational Assistance Fund, the non-profit said in a Friday release.
Qualifying parents of scholars must be employed full-time for at least three years by one of the following central Kentucky Thoroughbred farms: Benson Farm, Betz Thoroughbreds, Godolphin, Hermitage, Shadwell Farm, Shawhan Place Farm and WinStar Farm.
So far, 760 annual scholarships totaling $1,677,501 have been awarded since the Fund's inception in 1996 by Rob Whiteley of Liberation Farm, Tom Evans of Trackside Farm and Fred Seitz of Brookdale Farm.
Funding is provided for education or skill training after high school and is based upon financial need, merit, biographical essays and personal interviews. Scholarships are also available for full-time horse farm workers in the Bluegrass.
“In pursuit of their dreams, many of our scholars work 20 or more hours per week at one or two jobs while carrying a full course load,” said President Tom Evans. “Our main goal is to award enough money so that they can focus on their studies and make school their number one priority without incurring a huge burden of long-term student loan debt. We consider their studies as their job.”
This year's recipients are: Luis Garza-Galeas, Univ. of Kentucky; Gael Gonzalez, Univ. of Kentucky; Taylor Koch, Western Kentucky Univ.; Alexis Laytart, Georgetown College; Anna Martinez, Transylvania Univ.; Madison McMahon, Univ. of Cincinnati; Angel Perez, Univ. of Kentucky; Kathryn Reams, Eastern Kentucky Univ.; Alexander Rodriguez, Univ. of Kentucky; Katie Thurman, Bellarmine Univ.; Javier Torres-Pena, Midway Univ.; and Lupe Torres-Pena, Midway Univ.
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