HLSR celebrating 2024 scholarship winners

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- More than 500 students are getting the financial help they need for college. They are each being awarded a $20,000 scholarship from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

According to the Rodeo, the scholarships are part of its annual commitment of more than $27.3 million in educational funding.

Jamie Voskamp is the Senior Manager of the Scholarship Program.

"For a lot of these students, who it would not have been possible for them to go to school, it gives them that chance," Voskamp tells ABC13.

Statics shared by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo shows 25% of the scholarship recipients this year will be first-generation high school graduates and 47% will be first-generation college attendees.

Thanh-Tri Nguyen, a graduate of Carnegie Vanguard High School, is a 2024 scholarship recipient. In 2017, he lost everything he owned during Hurricane Harvey.

"Hurricane Harvey just really put a financial dent into our budget, this will help me because it will alleviate my burden. Going to college is already difficult," Nguyen shared with ABC13.

Another scholarship winner is Joseph Malavase, a graduate of Tomball Memorial High School. He plans on getting a degree in Agriculture Business.

"With this scholarship I plan to help out my single mother, she works very hard for me and my grandmother, and I hope this is a relief for her as its less money to have to worry about for college," Malavase said.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is throwing a celebration for the 2024 scholarship recipients Saturday, June 15 at NRG Center.