LAS VEGAS – Project 150, a local nonprofit that provides homeless, displaced and disadvantaged high school students with basic necessities, is celebrating local high school graduates and their quest to continue their education at its annual scholarship luncheon on June 22 at Palace Station Hotel and Casino.
Project 150 will be awarding in excess of $170,000 in scholarships to 67 deserving Southern Nevada students served by the homegrown local nonprofit. The students will use the money to attend Nevada colleges and universities, including College of Southern Nevada, Nevada State College, UNLV and University of Nevada, Reno. Of the 67 scholarship recipients, 45 are first-generation college students.
Scholarship lunch sponsors include EOS Fitness, which donated $50,000. Also, the Gene Haas Foundation, James and Mellissa Holzhauer, and Cosmopolitan Las Vegas each donated $25,000.
Since its creation in 2009, the Project 150 Youth Council scholarship program has awarded more than $800,000 in scholarship money to deserving students.
This year, the scholarship luncheon will be hosted by Kelli Kristo, executive director of Project 150, and Chet Buchanan, radio show creator/host and Project 150 board member. Dr. Jesus Jara, Clark County School District superintendent, is also scheduled to be there to celebrate the scholarship winners.
“I’m proud of the continued work we do to support our students who otherwise might be left out of the education journey. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these motivated students,” Kristo said. “Our goal is to ensure these students have access to the tools necessary to pursue and complete a postsecondary education.”
Without the scholarships and commitment from the Youth Council for the past 13 years, many scholarship recipients would not be able to pursue their higher education goals. Each scholarship recipient will receive up to $4,000.
About Project 150
Project 150 is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization, founded in December 2011 by local businessmen Don Purdue and Patrick Spargur. The two heard about 150 homeless high school students at Rancho High School in Las Vegas who were in need of support over the Christmas break. Since that time, Project 150 has expanded and now serves more than 5,900 registered and non-registered homeless, displaced and disadvantaged high-school students in more than 63 high schools in Southern Nevada. Project 150 provides these students with food, clothing, school supplies, sports equipment, shoes, college scholarships, workforce readiness, and other needs so they can continue school and be successful in life. Visit Project 150 at www.project150.org.
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