Eleven Area High School Students Receive Rodeo Scholarships

A group of 11 senior students attending high schools from throughout Cameron County were the latest beneficiaries of the Los Fresnos Rodeo Committee scholarship program.

Ten graduating students and the 2019 Rodeo Queen, Karen Waters, received a $1,000 scholarship each during a Tuesday, May 14, meeting held at the Los Fresnos EMS/Fire Department building.

The students and the schools are:

• Adrian Ambriz, Brownsville Early College High School
• Celide Bazan, Harlingen High School
• Trevor Gilbert, Harlingen High School
• Catherine Gomez, James Pace Early College High School
• Mia Longoria, San Benito High School
• Julieana Lucio, Harlingen High School of Health Professions
• Daniela Macias, Point Isabel High School
• Vanessa Perez, Brownsville Early College High School
• Lane Thomae, Los Fresnos, High School
• Robert Waters, Los Fresnos High School

Larry Cantu, a Rodeo Committee member, welcomed the students saying they hope the scholarships they are getting is a spark for them to continue with their college or trade school education.

Mike Todd, the committee president, thanked the students and the scholarship committee that selected the 10 from a field of nearly 60 applicants.

Carl Macomb, also with the Rodeo Committee, told the group they need to register with a college or trade school and e-mail the information to them before he can write them a check.

George Gomez, the committee vice president, gave 30 years of the rodeo history in about 10 minutes.

“We started off selling 800 tickets but 1,500 people showed up during our first rodeo,” he said. “We can now seat up to 4,600 people, bought land, built sky boxes, have concerts, a carnival, a parade and have partnered with the Cameron County Livestock Show, among other things.”