LONGVIEW, Texas — Students, teachers and families alike gathered in Lobo Coliseum for a ceremony to honor students for scholarship money they've earned. Longview Scholarship Coordinator Kay Ray says these students have earned more than $7 million in scholarships.
"A lot of these scholarships today will be as little as $250 and as much as $4,000 or $10,000," Ray said.
Kate Pimentel and Cooper Mayes are two of dozens of students rewarded with scholarships. But it didn't come easily. Both applied to many different ones.
"Probably 50 plus," Mayes said.
"I applied to over 20," Pimentel said.
"When students are completing as many as 40 and 50 applications from October through April, many students say it's almost like taking another class in school," Ray said.
It may be a lot of work but both Pimentel and Mayes say that the extra work is worth it. They also want people to understand the dedication and time it takes to apply for the various scholarships.
"Each application could range from like 40 minutes, to an hour and a half," Pimentel said. "If I had to write an essay, it would obviously take longer to plan it out and write it and proofread it."
"We did put a lot of work in especially, like kids getting all these scholarships, it wasn't like they don't just hand out money, you have to earn it," Mayes said.
Not all the money going to students came from universities. Ray says more than $130,000 in scholarships came from local scholarships.
"We are very appreciative of those people who take the time to volunteer, raise money so that these kids can go forth and do the very best they can do in life," Ray said.
