The 13th Annual Walker’s Rising Stars Scholarship Competition

ST. PETERSBURG – After an amazing display of talent, The Pinellas Education Foundation is proud to announce the winners in The 13th Annual Walker’s Rising Stars Scholarship Competition, presented by Bill Edwards Presents, Inc. and sponsored by Kane’s Furniture and Crown Automotive Group.

 

The event was attended by an estimated 700-member audience at Mahaffey Theater on Monday, May 9 and had approximately 4,500 virtual fans through its “Fan Favorite” online voting on Facebook. Approximately $60,000 in scholarships and prizes was given by the Pinellas Education Foundation.

The Ryan Wells Foundation provided scholarships for the three finalists in the Culinary Arts category.

Culinary Arts:

  • 1st place and a $1,500 scholarship: Nathan Lambert, Senior, Northeast High School
  • 2nd place and a $1,000 scholarship: Triston Giron, Senior, Tarpon Springs High School
  • 3rd place and a $500 scholarship: Atila Wright-Isguzar, Senior Tarpon Springs High School

First place winners in the other arts categories each received a $5,000 scholarship. They were:

  • Dance: Shawn Cusseaux, Senior, Gibbs High School
  • Instrumental: Kendric McCallister, Junior, Gibbs High School
  • Theater: Jermaine Robinson, Jr., Senior, Gibbs High School
  • Visual Art: Moses Jeune, Senior, Gibbs High School
  • Vocal Music: Brianna Fallahee, Junior, Dunedin High School

The overall Fan Favorite winner was Tucker DeGregory, a senior from St. Petersburg High. As the Fan Favorite, Tucker received a MacBook Pro Laptop and a $250 Apple Gift Card.

The other scholarships in each category are as follows:

Dance:

  • 2nd place and a $3,000 scholarship: Lindsey Wedgeworth, Senior, Osceola High School
  • 3rd place and a $2,000 scholarship: Nicole Robinson, Junior, Gibbs High School
  • 4th place and a $1,000 scholarship: Dominique Sterling, Senior, Tarpon Spring High School

Instrumental:

  • 2nd place and a $3,000 scholarship: Brandon Jones, Senior, Tarpon Springs High School
  • 3rd place and a $2,000 scholarship: Trace Zacur, Senior, Seminole High School
  • 4th place and a $1,000 scholarship: Jonathan O’Brien, Junior, Gibbs High School

Theater:

  • 2nd place and a $3,000 scholarship: Lauren Crandall, Senior, Gibbs High School
  • 3rd place and a $2,000 scholarship: Tucker Degregory, Senior, St. Petersburg High School
  • 4th place and a $1,000 scholarship: Amirah Rivers, Senior, Dunedin High School

Visual Art:

  • 2nd place and a $3,000 scholarship: Zachary Endicott, Senior, Gibbs High School
  • 3rd place and a $2,000 scholarship: Sophia Ward, Senior, Clearwater High School
  • 4th place and a $1,000 scholarship: Jennifer Stott, Senior, Osceola High School

Vocal:

  • 2nd place and a $3,000 scholarship: Diamond Hyatt, Senior, Gibbs High School
  • 3rd place and a $2,000 scholarship: Blake Lafita, Senior, Palm Harbor High School
  • 4th place and a $1,000 scholarship: Kiki Washington, Junior, Gibbs High School

The event also featured the Tarpon Springs High Jazz Ensemble throughout the show.

More than 200 juniors and seniors from Pinellas County Schools applied to compete in the seven-month process of auditions and adjudication.

About The Pinellas Education Foundation

The Pinellas Education Foundation is an independent, non-governmental not-for-profit established in 1986.  The Foundation’s mission is to enhance and improve educational opportunities in Pinellas County Schools. Well known Pinellas Education Foundation programs include: Academies of Pinellas, Enterprise Village, Finance Park, Take Stock in Children Scholarships, Youth Connect and Teacher Classroom Grants

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