Future cancer fighter gets a boost
A story of hope among the Houston Rodeo's $5 million in scholarships
Antonio Duarte is only the second person in his family to complete high school, and he will be the first to attend college — with the help of a four-year, $15,000 scholarship from the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.
Duarte's high grade-point average and more than 250 hours of community service at Memorial Hermann Hospital made him one of the 342 Houston-area students receiving that $15,000 scholarship award in a ceremony this evening at the Reliant Center, and he plans to use it toward an education at the University of Texas-Austin, where he plans to study chemistry. In total, $5.13 million in scholarships were handed out.
"It means a lot to me because it shows there are people willing to help you out if you help yourself out first," Durate says.
Duarte lost a brother to cancer, and intends to become an oncologist.
The Rodeo makes an annual commitment of more than $11 million to the educational advancement of Texas youth. Scholarship recipients can study whatever they want at the Texas college or university of their choice.