Contact:

Jeff Zipper, Vice President of Communications
407/438-1400, ext. 2314
JeffZ@far.org

Marla Martin, Communications Manager
407/438-1400, ext. 2326
MarlaM@far.org

Florida Association of Realtors® Presents $5,000 Scholarships to 3 College-bound Students

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., September 2005 -- Beginning classes this fall with more money to pay for tuition and books will make college life a little easier for three recent Florida high school graduates and their families, who have each won a $5,000 state scholarship award from the Florida Association of Realtors®  (FAR). The students’ winning essays were written on the topic “How Does a Realtor Professional Benefit the Community?” 

The three state winners are Xiaolin "Layne" Zhao of Tallahassee, a 2005 graduate of Lincoln High School; Aaron Shoemaker of Gulf Breeze, a 2005 graduate of Gulf Breeze High School; and Haley Singleton of DeBary, a 2005 graduate of Deltona High School. 

The three students each had previously received a district-level scholarship of $1,500 for their winning essays in FAR’s 2004-2005 Scholarship/Essay Contest for High School Seniors, resulting in a total of $6,500 in scholarship money to help with their future college expenses. There were 13 district winners, and FAR also recognized each student whose essay won second place in their respective districts with a $500 scholarship, for a total of $41,000 in scholarship funding to Florida students. Zhao won the District 8 scholarship award; Shoemaker received the District 9 scholarship award; and Singleton was named the District 2 scholarship winner. 

2005 FAR President Frank Kowalski announced the scholarship winners and presented them with their $5,000 awards during FAR’s 89th annual Convention & Trade Expo, held at the Buena Vista Palace in Lake Buena Vista. About 350 members of FAR’s Board of Directors honored the students for their achievements. 

The students’ families were also present to see them receive their scholarship checks and hear them read their winning essays to the appreciative Realtor audience. The winners and their families thanked Florida Realtors for establishing the scholarship/essay contest and helping to make their college dreams a reality. 

Zhao is using the scholarship funding to attend Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., where she is interested in studying English and economics. Shoemaker and Singleton are staying in Florida: Shoemaker plans to major in political science and minor in philosophy at the University of Florida, while Singleton plans to major in political science with a minor in international affairs at Florida State University.

In her essay, Haley Singleton wrote, “We live in a small town. Everyone knows everyone. As it turns out, our Realtor, Frank, didn't just sell houses. He sold the town. As a resident, he knew firsthand the attributes of our one-traffic-light town. Where to buy groceries, who to call if you needed a plumber. He researched and found that my Mom qualified for first-time homebuyer financing through Freddie Mac, and guided her through the classes required to obtain the loan. After we moved in, when my Mom threw a small party to thank all the angels that helped us pack, paint, and move, he brought the SOLD sign back over for the celebration.” 

Aaron Shoemaker discussed how real estate professionals helped his community in the recovery process after Hurricane Ivan devastated the seaside town last year. “Critical to our community's success after Ivan was meeting all the demand for housing. There was a massive shortage, because so many had lost homes, and so many workers from around the country came into town to rebuild. Realtors, even while balancing their own problems, efficiently and quickly found rentals and homes for people to live in while the reconstruction process was underway,” he wrote. 

And Layne Zhao had this to say about Realtors in her entry: “Through experiences such as ours, a Realtor knits together a community, stitch by stitch. They are the groundbreakers for new neighborhoods, such as the one I currently reside in….Although we rarely see our Realtor anymore, we still exchange Christmas cards and the occasional phone call. He is quite busy fulfilling dreams and stitching together communities, one warm handshake at a time.” 

Business executives, educators, media representatives, Realtors and community leaders from across Florida volunteered their time and expertise to serve as judges for both the district- and state-level essay competition. In the fifth year for FAR’s scholarship program, more than 300 high school seniors from across the state sent in entries for the essay contest.

The Florida Association of Realtors, the voice for real estate in Florida, provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation for more than 130,000 members in 68 local boards/associations.

© 2005 FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS