Entering their final stretch of the school year with graduation right around the corner, seniors are busier than ever.
On May 1, the Hagerty Awards Ceremony took place in the auditorium from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.. This is the first time that this ceremony has been an independent event, as it had been a part of the honor graduate ceremony in previous years.
A total of 28 scholarships were presented to Hagerty seniors, including those from independent organizations like the Oviedo Woman’s Club and the Oviedo Rotary Club. The school presented awards as well, like the Sam Momary Tradition of Excellence Scholarship, for a student who excelled in multiple facets of the Hagerty community, and the SCPS Foundation also presented scholarships, including the Serrato-Munoz Scholarship for a student who faced housing instability.
In addition, representatives from universities came to the ceremony to present committed seniors with scholarships towards their education. Among these were awards from the United States Naval Academy, the University of Central Florida, the Robert and Jane Lee Endowed Scholarship, the Foundation for Seminole State College and the District Board of Trustees for SSC.
After the ceremony, attendees were served a continental breakfast in the lobby of the auditorium. In total, approximately 70 students were recognized at the event. Senior Zuri Bailey received a $10,000 scholarship from Addition Financial to be used over the four years of her education.
“It was really sweet to see how much the representative from Addition cared, and she even had a big check to present to me. My whole family was there, which made it more special, because this ultimately will make a huge difference in their lives too,” Bailey said.
In coordinating this event, college and career counselor Andrea Fuhrer created a Google Form for students to submit their scholarships to. If the scholarship was received from a local organization, Fuhrer then reached out to them for a representative to come to Hagerty and recognize the recipients. Because of the ceremony’s proximity to graduation, it served as one of the final reflections for students before they step into the future.
“These scholarships serve as proof that someone believes in me and my future, and that really means a lot to me,” Arianna Maboudou-Tchao, who was recognized for four scholarships during the event, said.
The last award presented was to National Merit Finalists. To be recognized as a finalist, students must first pass the semifinalist distinction and be a part of the 99th percentile of PSAT-NSMQT test. Semifinalists must then submit letters of recommendation and transcripts to be awarded with the distinction. Some finalists have the chance to receive $2500 towards their college education, as well as significant scholarships at hundreds of universities across the nation.
Because of the addition of the college and career room this year, students have direct access to scholarship, financial aid and college help via Fuhrer. Fuhrer hopes to expand the program even further, creating more events and activities to celebrate students’ achievements and more opportunities for education on the college admissions process.
“This is my favorite part of my job. I love seeing students achieve what they’ve worked so hard for, and the fact that we at Hagerty have played a role in their success means everything to me. I could honestly cry thinking about it,” Fuhrer said.
