COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) – The South Carolina State Fair has announced the 2025 recipients of its annual Ride of Your Life Scholarship program, and five of them are local.
This year, 53 high school seniors across South Carolina have been chosen to receive prestigious $10,000 scholarships — totaling $530,000 in scholarships.
9-year-old Presley has her own lemonade stand that she has been running for a while, and she donates the money she makes.
Five local students were awarded the scholarship. They include:
“Our scholarship program is all about planting seeds — investing in students now so they can grow into the leaders, innovators and community builders of tomorrow,” said Nancy Smith, general manager of the South Carolina State Fair. “It’s one of the most meaningful ways we contribute to the future of our state.”
A local teacher made her way on the Jennifer Hudson show after being awarded teacher of the year at Redcliffe Elementary.
Each year, the South Carolina State Fair awards scholarships to South Carolina high school students planning to pursue their studies at any public or private college, university or technical college in the state of South Carolina.
The $10,000 scholarships are awarded at an annual rate of $2,500 and are based on academic and extracurricular achievement, communication skills, need and completeness of the application.
This year, applicants were asked to write an essay responding to the thought-provoking question, “What does harvesting happiness mean to you, and how do you cultivate it in your life?”
“Reading this year’s essays felt a lot like walking the fairgrounds — full of real stories, big dreams and heartfelt moments,” said Smith. “These students reminded us that happiness doesn’t have to be loud or flashy — sometimes it’s as simple as showing kindness or overcoming a challenge.”
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