The Women LEAD (Learn, Excel, Achieve, Dream) scholarship program has awarded five outstanding female Dallas ISD seniors with a total of $40,000 in college scholarships.
Founded in 2013 by the Junior League of Dallas in collaboration with Mary Kay Inc., the Women LEAD scholarship program was created to assist female high school students in pursuing their dreams of higher education and to create opportunities for future women leaders. Female seniors from Thomas Jefferson, South Oak Cliff, and Emmett J. Conrad high schools were invited to apply for the scholarships.
The 2016-2017 scholarship recipients are
- 1st place ($15,000) – Alejandra Landa, Thomas Jefferson High School
- 2nd place ($10,000) – Adrianna Lopez, Thomas Jefferson High School
- 3rd place ($5,000) – Stephanie Vargas, Thomas Jefferson High School
- 4th place ($5,000) – Rahda Adhikari, Emmett J. Conrad High School
- 5th place ($5,000) – Eleni T-Giorgs, Emmett J. Conrad High School
The $40,000 in scholarships was made possible through the generosity of the presenting sponsor Mary Kay, Inc., and the addition of the supporting sponsor Dr. Pepper Snapple Group.
Finalists for the scholarships had to prepare a short speech. The speech was an opportunity for each finalist to share their challenges and how their journey has shaped them. The finalists were judged on their speech content, delivery and stage presence by a panel of judges that included:
- Judge Amber Givens-Davis, Presiding Judge 282nd Judicial District Court in Dallas County
- Allegra Jerman, Associate Brand Manager – Dr. Pepper Snapple Group
- Bonner Allen, President – Junior League of Dallas
- Crayton Webb, VP, Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility – Mary Kay Inc.
“The LEAD scholarship opportunity is more than a scholarship. It’s an opportunity for the young ladies at Conrad, Jefferson and SOC to dream big with their peers, develop and refine their public speaking skills all while working with a supportive group of Junior League mentors, teachers and counselors,” said Veena Armstrong of Dallas ISD Partnership Services. “We are grateful that the Junior League of Dallas and Mary Kay Inc. continue to partner with Dallas ISD to provide our young ladies with the opportunity to LEARN, EXCEL, ACHIEVE, and DREAM.”
