Big Tex Scholarship Program

DALLAS – May 9, 2023 – 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 provided me with the financial assistance 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 learned 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 will help 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 received the State Fair of Texas Juanita Craft Scholarship, including:

Giovany Aguado

Michael Aguirre

Joel Almaguer-Enriquez

Belinda Alonso

Homero Araujo

Kharyngton Armstrong

Yasmine Ates

Yajaira Baca Cabrera

Emariah Banks

Kashari Barron

Esmeralda Benitez

Martavion Bull

Alondra Caro

Genesis Castillo

Jaedon Caudillo

Katherine Cerna

Alexis Chairez

Blanca Charcas

Yadira Chavez Reyes

Hector Chico

Jessica Clark

Faith Cooper

Jose Corpus

Monique Cortez

Daniela de la Torre

Griselda Diaz

Jesus Espinoza

Karen Espinoza Gutierrez

Katherine Farner

Alexis Garcia Del Rio

Emanuel Garcia Barrera

Mariana Garcia

Noe Garcia

Ava Gonzales

Princess Govea

Bryce Grigsby

Taylor Guerrero

Alexis Gutierrez

Stefany Guzman

Destinee Hathorn

Zariyah Hawkins

Cristina Hernandez

Jessica Hyde

Celeste Jaramillo

Leslie Jaramillo

Aujenae Jones

Abigail Juarez Trejo

Cristy Juarez

Francine Kalala

Katie Kha

Ashley Lopez

Michelle Lopez

Trevor Lumpkin

Judith Manzanarez

Mariana Mares Solano

Yesica Martinez

Xitlaly Matehuala

La’Maya McGowan

Jennifer Mendoza

Brianna Mmbaga

Aulajia Morgan

Melanie Mota

Imran Muktar

Sandy Nguyen

Elida Ortega Rivas

Christian Piedra

Leslie Quintero

Jennifer Ramirez Mendoza

Jessica Ramirez

Joanna Ramirez

Ashlee Reyes

Valerie Reyes

Jedoria Richards

Angel Rios

Janet Rivas Reza

Audrey Robertson

Kennady Robinson

Deyanira Romero

Diana Ruiz

Cristian Ruvalcaba

Abubakar Saidi

Alexander Sanchez

Alexis Sanchez Serrano

Sofia Sanchez

Erandy Segura

Miguel Solis

Annette Soto

LaZariya Taylor

Aisha Torres

Tram Tran

Vivianne Valdes Pereira

Natalia Vales Rivera

Ashley Vazquez

Ashley Vela

Akirea Williams

Fatima Zambrano

Francis Zepeda

Five recipients received 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 went 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 Texas college, university, or trade school. To qualify for scholarship renewal, recipients must enroll and pass at least 12 hours each semester. In addition, recipients must achieve a minimum 2.5 GPA in their first semester and a 3.0 cumulative GPA every semester after that.

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 total of $12,000 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 goes to an outstanding sophomore in the Big Tex Scholarship Program with the highest GPA. Youth Livestock Scholar Dane Sullivan and Juanita Craft Scholar Natalie Rosas are this year’s recipients.

Local scholarship recipients and their families will enjoy an awarded fair hosted by the State Fair of Texas, celebrating the 2023 Scholars and all their accomplishments. The Fair congratulates all deserving scholars on their personal and academic achievements. It is excited to support them in pursuing their aspirations for higher education and the future of Texan youth.