Local Students Awarded College Scholarships from Embracing Our Differences

June 21, 2023 – Sarasota

Lucia Warren (Sarasota High School), Mateo Rizzo (Riverview High School), and Kasey-Huong Nguyen (Venice High School)—recently graduated high school seniors who served as members of their school’s Coexistence Club—were awarded $1,000 four-year renewable scholarships by Embracing Our Differences. Rizzo and Nguyen will be entering the University of Florida while Warren will be entering the University of South Florida in the fall. They join Chloe Labrecque and Cam Pham, rising seniors at the University of Florida, who received their first scholarships in 2020; Kennedy Hart and Emilia Przepiora, rising juniors at Rice University and the University of Florida, who received their first scholarships in 2021; Anela Ajkic and Megan Meese, rising sophomores at the University of Florida, and Mya Fraser, a rising sophomore at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, who received their first scholarships in 2022. In addition, Jay Murphy, who served in an internship position for EOD this spring through New College of Florida, will receive a $1,000 two-year renewable scholarship to attend Ringling College of Art and Design in the fall.

The students are part of an EOD scholarship initiative that grants annual $1,000 renewable scholarships to students at regional high school Coexistence Clubs. Current Coexistence Club locations include Booker, North Port, Pine View, Riverview, Sarasota, Suncoast Polytech, and Venice high schools, Imagine Schools North Port and SCF Collegiate Bradenton in addition to two middle school clubs at Laurel Nokomis School and Venice Middle School. Coexistence Club members serve as docents for thousands of students who visit EOD’s outdoor exhibits every year in addition to designing and leading student-driven initiatives in their schools to promote inclusion and acceptance. These scholarships are made possible by the Jody Beresford and Robert Mayer Scholarship Fund, along with generous support from private donors.

 “The ongoing commitment of Coexistence Club members to promote diversity, inclusion, kindness and respect in their schools and at EOD’s annual exhibit led us to consider how we could further honor their efforts while also supporting their education after graduation,” says Ben Jewell-Plocher, EOD’s learning and engagement director. “As we enter our fourth year of awarding scholarships, it is heartwarming to see how second-, third-, and fourth-year awardees continue to advocate for inclusion and belonging within their university communities. We are thrilled to work with all the amazing Coexistence Club students, the dedicated educators who advise and guide this student-driven initiative and our steadfast supporters who make the Coexistence Club program and scholarships possible.”

Jewell-Plocher adds that award recipients need to demonstrate how the Coexistence Club and their participation as docents for EOD’s exhibit has had an impact on their life and high school career.