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Lauderhill awards 2025 scholarships; Educational Advisory Board to host community resource fair
Summary
The city’s Educational Advisory Board announced scholarship awards for the 2025–26 year, funded by a $10,000 city allocation, and promoted a July 26 community resource fair. Awards include three tiers — $1,500, $1,000 and $500 — with recipients drawn from Lauderhill residents; the city will disperse funds through schools.
The City of Lauderhill’s Educational Advisory Board on Monday announced the 2025–26 scholarship recipients and details for a first‑ever community educational resource fair.
The board said the city manager honored a $10,000 allocation to support the program. The board described three award tiers: a Pinnacle award ($1,500) for top academic and leadership achievement; an Aspire award ($1,000) for scholars showing strong promise; and a Foundation award ($500) for candidates demonstrating strong academic and leadership potential. Funds will be paid directly to recipients’ schools and each awardee will receive a certificate, a swag bag and a $50 gift card.
Dr. Taj Marie Hunter, chair of the Educational Advisory Board, explained the selection process: a three‑week application period, an essay requirement, rubric‑based anonymous scoring and a closed meeting to tabulate results. “We believe that through education and access to resources ... that’s what’s gonna change our community,” Hunter told the commission.
Named awardees present at the meeting included (award tier and GPA as announced): - JC Nails (Pinnacle, GPA 3.8 — mother accepted award) - Mikhail Dukes (Aspire, GPA 3.3 — Broward College) - Akhil McPherson (Aspire, GPA 3.7 — Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University) - Ashley Brown (Aspire, GPA 3.6 — LSU) - Noel Howell (Aspire, GPA 3.8 — FAMU) - Ava Francis (Aspire, GPA 3.6 — Duke University) - Algenis Pierre (Foundation, GPA 3.1 — Broward College) - Devon Thomas (Foundation, GPA 3.7 — FAMU) - Genesis Turgut (Foundation, GPA 4.2) - Unita Jean (Foundation, GPA 3.3)
Board members said scholarship funds will be disbursed through the students’ schools. The board also announced a community educational resource fair scheduled for Saturday, July 26, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., at which more than 15 vendors are expected to present students and families with college, career and wraparound resources. The board said its deadline for vendor confirmations is July 17 and invited community groups to participate.
Why it matters: The awards provide small, targeted financial support and exposure to college and career resources for Lauderhill students. The board emphasized holistic development and outreach as priorities.
Provenance: Presentation and list of awardees were delivered by Educational Advisory Board chair Dr. Taj Marie Hunter near the start of the commission’s presentations segment; scholarship names, GPAs and award tiers were read aloud and are recorded in the meeting minutes.
