The deadline is fast approaching for senior students of Haitian heritage to apply for the Haitian-American Community Coalition of Southwest Florida $1,500 scholarship.
This is their ninth year to award scholarships to Lee County high school graduating seniors of Haitian heritage, HACC Scholarship Chair Betsy Vaughn said.
“We started in 2017 with three $500 scholarships, raised the amount to $1,000 awards in 2018 and then to $1,500 each in 2022. We have awarded over $34,000 in scholarships. This year, our four 2025 recipients will receive $1,500 each,” Vaughn said.
To apply, a student must be a graduating senior at a Lee County high school who is enrolled, or will be enrolled in a degree, or certification program at a technical college, state college, or university by Sept. 1, 2025. The application includes two letters of recommendation from a teacher, coach, administrator, or school counselor and a school transcript that includes grades through the fall 2024 semester.
Students must also submit a 300-500 word personal essay that answers the questions – what are your short- and long-term educational and career goals and how have your goals for your future been shaped by your life experiences.
The deadline for the scholarship is April 1 and can be mailed to Haitian-American Community Coalition of Southwest Florida, 3949 Evans Ave., Fort Myers, FL 33901.
“The mission of the Haitian-American Community Coalition of Southwest Florida is to improve the quality of life of the local Haitian-American community. HACC values education as a stepping stone to success. We want to ensure that all children are provided the proper tools for academic success and that they have the opportunity to pursue a post-secondary education,” Vaughn said. “Over the years we have received many amazing stories of ambition/hard work. Especially impressive are the students who came to the U.S. as middle school students speaking no English and wound up at the top of their high school class.”
She hopes to announce the four recipients of the 2025 scholarship in mid-April.
Two of the 2024 HACC Scholarship recipients attended Cape Coral high schools.
Jaelle Rodriguez, a Cape Coral High School graduate, said she heard about the scholarship through her high school’s scholarship Google Classroom.
“They posted a ton of local and national scholarship opportunities and the requirements for each,” she said.
To be named a recipient meant the world to her.
“I can’t even put into words how much this scholarship has impacted my life. It has literally been the reason I am a college student today,” Rodriguez said.
She said without family assistance, she worked two part-time jobs hoping to pay some of her college education, but knew it wouldn’t be enough.
“So, I sought out every scholarship opportunity possible,” she said.
The money from the scholarship have also helped in affording more expensive aspects of college – such as room and board and books.
“It is one of the big reasons I have had such a smooth transition into college,” Rodriguez said.
She said she is glad she applied, because those involved with HACC were very kind from start to finish.
“They also have made an investment into my future and that is something I have so much gratitude for,” Rodriguez said.
She is attending Florida Gulf Coast University with a major in health science, as she is pursuing a career in dentistry.
The other recipient was Oasis High School student Janelle Octavien, who is attending Florida State University as a behavioral neuroscience major. She is on the pre-med track, as she is aspiring to be a neonatologist or OB/GYN.
“I heard about the Haitian-American Community Coalition of Southwest Florida from my older sister, who was a 2023 scholarship recipient, and my guidance counselors. At the time, there weren’t many Haitian seniors attending my school, and my guidance counselor reiterated that I should apply,” Octavien said.
To be a recipient has intensified her pride in being Haitian and strengthening her commitment to her culture.
“The roots of my dream to become a doctor began in Haiti, where my parents and the majority of my family were born. Everything I hope to achieve in life serves as a tribute to God, my culture, and my family, which this scholarship represents to me,” Octavien said.
She said the scholarship has also highlighted the excellence and resilience of the country and diaspora, which she can only strive to carry on and further honor.
“This scholarship embodies the Haitian community’s pride in working hard and supporting one another. When I was announced as one of the only recipients at my school during my senior award night, I felt overwhelmingly proud because at that moment everyone didn’t simply recognize me for my academic efforts but also as an example of my beautiful Haitian heritage,” Octavien said.
The scholarship helped in completing the funding of her post-secondary education, which has allowed her to fully dedicate herself to her studies.
“Without the financial burden of tuition and other expenses, I have been able to strive for academic excellence and engage in extracurricular activities that further enhance my college journey,” she said.
For more information about the scholarship, visit HaitianCoalition.com, or email Vaughn at esv460@gmail.com.
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