The South Carolina State Fair, an independent nonprofit organization, announced it will be increasing its annual scholarship award by $4,000 per student for its 2011 Ride of Your Life Scholarship Program.

The total award for the 2011 program will be $300,000 in scholarships, more than doubling the awards of previous years. Fifty students will be selected statewide to receive $6,000, which will be distributed at $1,500 increments for up to four years.
“It is humbling to be part of an organization that will support 200 of our state’s best students every year,” said SC State Fair general manager Gary Goodman. “In some cases, the State Fair Scholarship has helped to break a cycle of poverty allowing some students to be the first in their families to attend college.”

The SC State Fair has provided opportunities to deserving South Carolina high school students for 14 years. What started with 10 students in 1997, has grown into one of the largest independently funded scholarship programs in the state. This is all made possible through admissions, ride tickets and food sales during the 12 days of the fair.

“When you invest in the youth, you are making an investment in the future of the City of Columbia and South Carolina as a whole,” said Mayor Steve Benjamin. “With these actions today, the State Fair illustrates they are an organization that stands strong behind their mission.”

Any high school senior in the state of South Carolina is eligible to apply to be a State Fair Scholar. Prospective scholars will be judged on overall performance and involvement, need, communications skills and an aptitude for completion of the application. Fully completed applications must be postmarked by March 18, 2011.

“The Ride of Your Life Scholarship Program opened many doors for me,” said Eugene Koon, a past scholarship recipient. “The increase in the scholarship award is going to provide more opportunities for graduating high school seniors and change many more lives.”

Applications can be found at www.scstatefair.org and State Fair Scholars will be notified in May. For more information on the South Carolina State Fair Scholarship Program contact Lauren Guignard at 803-799-3387, ext. 15 or laureng@scstatefair.org.

The South Carolina State Fair is a self-supporting charitable organization dedicated to educating South Carolina’s young adults. For more information about the South Carolina State Fair, visit www.scstatefair.org.