Special to the Lake Okeechobee News/PBSO
PALM BEACH COUNTY — The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Foundation awarded $2,500 scholarships to six Glades area students: Patriana Vickers, Luisa Rojas, Armando Sandoval, Antonio Patoja Jr., Michely Julno and Estefania Alcala-Garcia.

PALM BEACH COUNTY — The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Foundation had its annual scholarship luncheon on March 1 at the International Polo Club in Wellington. Fifteen Palm Beach County high school seniors, all of whom were nominated by a sworn employee of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), received $2,500 scholarships for their freshman year of college. Each scholarship is renewable for up to four years of college or trade school. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw had the honor of presenting each student with his or her scholarship.

Here are this year’s scholarship winners:
• Estefania Alcala-Garcia, Glades Central Community High School, Palm Beach State College
• Michely Julno, Glades Central Community High School, Florida State University
• Antonio Pantoja Jr., Pahokee High School, University of South Florida
• Armando Sandoval, Pahokee High School, Palm Beach State College
• Luisa Rojas, Glades Central Community High School, Palm Beach State College

• Patriana Vickers, Glades Central Community High School, Florida Atlantic University
• Anthony Beltran, Jr., Lake Worth Community High School, Florida Atlantic University
• Jordan Bennett, Palm Beach Central High School, Florida A&M University
• Alicia Cook, Wellington Community High School, Florida State University
• Jordyn Geller, Olympic Heights Community High School, University of Wisconsin
• Erin Howard, Palm Beach Gardens Community High School, Florida A&M University
• Brandon Keough, Santaluces Community High School, Palm Beach State College
• Manda Kotori, Lake Worth Community High School, Florida Atlantic University
• Jonathan Larrabee, Forest Hill Community High School, Palm Beach State College
• Julia Whisenhunt, West Boca Raton Community High School, Agnes Scott College

Quote from Rick Seymour, chairman of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Foundation: “We are very excited about our Youth Scholarship Program … we received dozens of applications. As a charitable organization, we want to give back to the community, and we feel there is no better way to do that than by helping deserving students further their education.”

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization that helps underprivileged children through such programs as Shop with a Cop and Youth Scholarships. Foundation support for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office enhances deputy safety by subsidizing new equipment that might otherwise be unattainable. In addition, the foundation has provided great support for the K-9, Domestic Violence and Gang Units, and assists PBSO employees in times of need.

For information about the PBCS Foundation, please visit PBCSF.org.