Schools

44 high school seniors are Barnes semifinalists

The four winners of college scholarships will be selected in February.

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 8, 2007

Forty-four high school seniors have been named semifinalists for the 2008 Barnes Scholarships.

A total of 265 students from public and private schools in Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties applied.

A Barnes Scholarship, sponsored by the St. Petersburg Times Fund Inc., is worth up to $60,000 over four years at an accredited U.S. college or university. Each year, four winners are selected. This year, the fund will provide more than $200,000 in financial aid to college students through the Barnes Scholarships.

Established by the fund in 1999, the scholarships were renamed in 2004 to honor Andrew Barnes, chairman and chief executive officer of the St. Petersburg Times upon his retirement. They target college-bound teens who have overcome significant obstacles in their lives while remaining committed to academic achievement and community involvement.

The 16 young men and 28 young women who are the 2008 semifinalists now must complete the second portion of the application, answering essay questions and supplying financial information, a high school transcript and letters of recommendation from school counselors and other adults.

The information will be reviewed in early January, and 10 finalists will be selected. They will be interviewed in St. Petersburg in late January. Four winners will be announced in February.

Since 2000, 16 Barnes scholars have graduated from college. Sixteen are still enrolled at such universities as Duke, Cornell, Georgetown, Northwestern, Columbia, Ohio State, the University of Florida, the University of South Florida, University of Tampa, the University of Rochester, the University of Chicago, and the University of California-Berkeley.

The St. Petersburg Times Fund, the not-for-profit philanthropic arm of the Times Publishing Co., has provided scholarships for college students since 1953.

For information about the Barnes Scholarship program, contact Nancy Waclawek, director of the St. Petersburg Times Fund Inc., at (727) 893-8780. The Web address is www.tampabay.com/scholarships.

2008 Barnes Scholarship semifinalists

Citrus County

Javiriyah Ashraf, Citrus High School

Kristina Sabilona, Citrus High School

Hernando County

Jessika Gonzales, Central High School

Amy Mihok, Central High School

Camille McAvoy, Springstead High School

J. Morgan Rogers, Hernando High School

Hillsborough County

Taylor Martin, Berkeley Preparatory School

Sarah Penter, Armwood High School

Sarah Snow, Armwood High School

Truong Tran, Armwood High School

Andrew Battigaglia, King High School

Lotiffa Colibao, King High School

Brooke Slawinski, King High School

Khalid Pagan, Durant High School

Jou Her, East Bay High School

Sam Salgado, Blake High School

Jamie O'Hara, Newsome High School

Joshua Gonsalves, Tampa Bay Technical High School

Pasco County

Thomas Myers, Gulf High School

Jenna Barthle, Pasco High School

James Walmer, Pasco High School

Pinellas County

Rebekkah Cazalas, Admiral Farragut Academy

Auriel Mouzon, Boca Ciega High School

Lindsey Kratochwill, Clearwater High School

Jared Misner, Clearwater High School

Amber Chaboudy, Countryside High School

Kristen Viola, Dixie Hollins High School

Natalia Puerto, Dunedin High School

Martin Span III, Keswick Christian School

Alicia Holden, Lakewood High School

Lan Tran, Lakewood High School

Angela Bousalis, Palm Harbor University High School

Nuri Halef, Palm Harbor University High School

Swathi Nemani, Palm Harbor University High School

Zachariah Addison, Pinellas Park High School

Didier Bizimungu, Pinellas Park High School

Olivier Bizimungu, Pinellas Park High School

Emily Lester, Seminole High School

Crishana Williams, Shorecrest Preparatory School

Paulina Grochala, St. Petersburg Collegiate High School

Katrinka Swenson, St. Petersburg Collegiate High School

Cindy Luu, St. Petersburg High School

Daren Miller, St. Petersburg High School

Natalia Rothschild, Tarpon Springs High School

[Last modified December 7, 2007, 23:36:57]