Since its establishment in 1992, the Big Tex® Scholarship Program has continued to uphold the State Fair’s nonprofit mission of supporting agriculture, education, and community involvement. We are proud to announce another year of supporting Texas students through scholarships towards furthering their education, with the State Fair of Texas awarding more than $1.3 million in new college scholarships this year. We are awarding 222 scholarships to deserving students across the Lone Star State: 97 Juanita Craft Scholarships to Dallas ISD students, 116 Youth Livestock Scholarships to students throughout Texas, five Seasonal Employee Scholarships, one Benny Clark Memorial Scholarship, one Peggy Sloan Memorial Scholarship, and two Terry Griffin Memorial Scholarships.
In its 31-year history, the Big Tex Scholarship Program has awarded scholarships to more than 3,000 students for a program total of more than $17.4 million. Honoring the legacy of South Dallas resident and civil rights activist Juanita Craft, each year, the State Fair awards college scholarships to selected applicants from six Dallas ISD high schools surrounding the Fair Park area – Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, Franklin D. Roosevelt, James Madison, Lincoln, North Dallas, and Woodrow Wilson high schools. In addition, the State Fair awards scholarships to select applicants across the state who have participated in youth livestock competitions at the State Fair of Texas. The Seasonal Employee Scholarship serves as a thank you to the Fair’s seasonal employees for their hard work and dedication to the State Fair of Texas – both qualified seasonal employees and their dependents are eligible for this opportunity.
“To be awarded as a 2023 Big Tex Scholar, I feel incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity. I feel honored to be considered by an organization that dedicates so much to students’ education,” said Katie Kha, 2023 Big Tex Juanita Craft recipient from North Dallas High School. “This scholarship will help fund my future studies at Texas Woman’s University and help me reach my career goals.”
“Receiving the 2023 Big Tex Scholar scholarship is a dream come true for me,” said Elvin Johnson, 2023 Big Tex Seasonal Employee recipient, son to a seasonal coupon sales Tex-team member. “Finances have always been a challenge in pursuing my educational aspirations. This scholarship has provided me with the financial assistance that I needed to pursue my studies and achieve my academic goals.” Elvin plans to attend Richland College and major in animation.
“I am extremely honored to be selected as a Big Tex Scholarship recipient. I participated in stock showing for eight years and I was able to learn countless lessons that will be very helpful to me in the future,” said 2023 Big Tex Youth Livestock Scholar Braxton Angeley of Shamrock, Texas. “I love showing, and I will miss being a part of it but receiving this scholarship helps me start the next chapter of my life. This scholarship will help me pay for my college education and I will be able to get an Agribusiness degree and one day own my own business.” Braxton plans to attend West Texas A&M University.
A total of 97 graduating seniors from six Dallas ISD high schools were awarded the State Fair of Texas Juanita Craft Scholarship, including:
| Laura Aguilar | Zoe Haeffner | Enrique Perez Rios |
| Cordazja Alexander | Carolina Hernandez | Karely Perez |
| Eva Anderson | Catalina Hernandez | Leslie Perez |
| Myriam Aramburo | Jorgen Hernandez | Victoria Perez |
| Walter Arguijo | Uriel Hernandez | Dian'sha Perkins |
| Analise Barrios Castillo | Servelius Izigire | Gustavo Puerta Vasquez |
| Yasmonae Barrs | Yvonne Jackson | Rosa Puerta-Vazquez |
| Alyssa Brown | Keuna Jessie | Edmundo Reyes |
| Daijah Brown | Oscar Jimenez | Julia Rico Lara |
| Jaylen Brown | Mekhi Johnson | Kevin Rodriguez |
| Chosen Burkhalter | ShaLyric Johnson | Stephanie Romo |
| Ja'Mia Canales | Kierstyn Jones | Brandon Sanchez |
| Ashley Castaneda | Andrea Kelly | Jacqueline Sanchez Guevara |
| Andy Castillo | Ha Le | Jaden Santamaria |
| Gabriela Cespedes Vergara | Ka'Nise Lewis | Michelle Sarabia |
| Francisco Charcas | Moon-asia Liles | Abigail Segura |
| Violeta Chico | Janeth Llamas Cisneros | Marc Segura |
| Alejandro Cisneros | Madalaine Lopez | Daija Showers |
| Estrella Cortes-Pedroza | Nashaly Lopez | Kamen Smith |
| Charlotte Crethers | Oscar Lopez | Genesis Soto |
| Aaron Crispin | Renata Lopez | Beimnet Tewolde |
| Anniston Dalton | Briana Lozano | Cole Thompson |
| Kaleigh Daniels | Geraldy Luna Valdez | Sergio Torres |
| Keandra Diaz | Anthoney Macias | Michele Trevino |
| Danijela Djakovic | Casey Macias | Oluwakemi Tytler |
| Juan Fierros | Sandra Manuel | Lizannia Valadez |
| Kaitey Garcia | Stephania Martinez | Dulce Valdez |
| Samarion George | Victoria Mata | Paola Vargas |
| Samuel Gilmore | Stephanie Mendoza | Guadalupe Vazquez |
| Alexander Gomez | Jocelyn Meza | Glenda Vega |
| Diego Gonzalez | Katelynn Moore | Jaziah Williamson |
| Marcos Gonzalez | Kyli Murray | Kaleb Yeager |
| Melina Gonzalez | Esmeralda Nunez | Lailah Zeno-Bell |
| Stephanie Gonzalez | McKenzie Paige | |
| Aaliyah Gutierrez | Arlet Paiz | |
| Jaden Gutierrez | Ariana Perez | |
| Lesley Gutierrez |
Five recipients were awarded the State Fair of Texas Seasonal Employee Scholarship, including:
Audrey Childers
D’Najia Hunter
Elvin Johnson
Savannah Johnson
Joseph Miller
A total of 116 Youth Livestock Scholarships were awarded to graduating seniors from across the Lone Star State, including:
Abigail Albracht
Emma Allen
Graden Allen
Piper Alleva
Braxton Angeley
Cayden Barton
Reese Bassano
Riley Beaver
Boone Begert
Steeley Blanek
Bryce Borchardt
Braylee Brooks
Erin Brown
Haley Bryand
Cole Bynum
Ansley Campbell
Berkley Carver
Laramee Champion
Paisley Chandler
Lacy Clarke
James Cleere
Cooper Coffelt
Taylor Colvin
Kenley Cox
Reagan Crick
Koda Davis
Emerson Dean
Anna Decker
Brooke Diezi
Anna Drews
Caraline Dudley
Payton Easter
Kyndal Edwards
Owen Edwards
Mackenlee Evans
Raylie Ezell
Emma Finley
Benjamin Flanagan
Avery Fohn
Lily Ford
Auburn Frost
Alyna Garcia
Corbin Garner
Payton Garrett
Tye Goree
Ryleigh Greer
Ellie Grissett
Mackenzie Groce
Hanna Gruhlkey
Hallie Hackett
Jaime Hahn
Lauren Hanna
Baylee Hardy
Demi Harrington
William Herd
Grant Hinckley
Carter Holton
Halle Houck
Madilyn Howell
Audrey Ivey
Kenley Ivy
Chloe Jalufka
William Jones
Kennedy Kauffman
Kross Kelso
Diana Kettler
Jocelyn Kolar
Nolan Laminack
Channing Larrew
Ragan Levien
Annika Lindt
Hayden Lovelady
Amy Mathis
Avery McKinney
McKenna Mitchell
Peyton Moore
Caroline Munson
Seth Parker
Tanner Patrick
Jacie Pennington
Madison Perkins
Shelby Perrenoud
Ashlynn Peugh
Leah Pfeiffer
Gentri Phillips
Kamryn Phillips
Baylee Plumley
Zane Potter
Kacy Pullen
Jacqueline Rand
Caitlyn Rasor
Karley Rayfield
Anna Reed
Libby Rogers
Canon Rosser
Dawson Rudloff
Paris Sanchez
Landen Schertz
Maci Schley
Bo Schmitt
Miranda Skaggs
Ryan Smee
Ellee Spearman
Richard Spencer
Emma Strickland
Haylee Triplitt
Kensley Vieth
Roy Villarreal
Creed Vineyard
Paris Walker
Liberty Weatheread
Kaitlyn Wiggins
Alexis Wilson
Caydance Wilson
Macie Wimbish
Mason Wurzbach
Recipients receive a $6,000 grant, renewable each semester if the student meets the criteria for renewal. Students must attend an accredited college, university, or trade school within the state of Texas. To qualify for scholarship renewal, recipients must enroll in and pass a minimum of 12 hours each semester. In addition, recipients must achieve a minimum 2.5 GPA in their first semester and a 3.0 cumulative GPA for every semester thereafter.
The State Fair also awards several ancillary scholarships where outstanding students are awarded an additional $6,000 over four years to combine with the initial awarded $6,000 scholarship, for a grand total of $12,000 to put towards higher education.
- Receiving this year’s Benny Clark Memorial Scholarship, Landen Schertz embodies the qualities of a strong leader in agriculture education.
- Awarded to a strong leader and graduating senior from Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, this year’s recipient of the Peggy Sloan Memorial Scholarship is Jessica Hyde.
- The Terry Griffin Memorial Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding sophomore in the Big Tex Scholarship Program with the highest GPA. This year’s recipients are Youth Livestock Scholar, Dane Sullivan and Juanita Craft Scholar, Natalie Rosas.
The Fair congratulates all of these deserving scholars on their personal and academic achievements and is excited to support them in pursuing their aspirations for higher education and the future of Texan youth. Local scholarship recipients and their families will enjoy an awards fair hosted by the State Fair of Texas, celebrating the 2023 Scholars and all their accomplishments.