Strawberry Industry Offers Scholarships
Five children of Ventura County strawberry workers will receive scholarships for higher education this summer under a new program sponsored by the California Strawberry Commission.
The awards, which range from $500 to $1,500 apiece, will go to high school seniors with good grades. Only children of farm workers who have been employed in the strawberry industry for at least two consecutive seasons are eligible.
Specific criteria have not yet been set, but applicants will have to write an essay explaining their future goals, spokeswoman Teresa Thorne said.
A board of educators, business people and growers will evaluate the applications and award one scholarship for $1,500, one for $1,000 and three for $500. The money can be applied toward tuition at a college, university or accredited trade school.
Ventura County employs about 12,500 seasonal workers in the strawberry industry, Thorne said. Interested high school students should contact Christina Glynn at (408) 724-1301. Applications are due by Feb. 1.
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