Nearly 100 Dallas ISD seniors recognized as 2023 Big Tex Scholars

Dallas, Texas - In a stirring display of academic dedication and prowess, ninety-seven triumphant high school seniors converged from six Dallas Independent School District (ISD) campuses clustered around the Fair Park region, standing amidst the timeless charm of the Texas State Fair. These venerable grounds became the setting for these students' well-deserved accolades as they were bestowed the Juanita Craft Scholarship, a testament to their unwavering commitment and diligence throughout their secondary education.

Each of these students illustrated a pattern of perseverance, successfully completing no less than twelve hours of coursework each semester, while managing to maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 in their inaugural semester, and subsequently an impressive 3.0 cumulative GPA in every semester thereafter. This persistent pursuit of excellence was their passport to the coveted Juanita Craft Scholarship, granted in acknowledgment of their academic accomplishments.

On this jubilant occasion, the students also reveled in the festivities of the fair, engaging in delightful games and partaking in the local cuisine with "Little Tex" on the Midway, a blend of celebration and tradition that made the event all the more memorable.

Among the luminaries was Miguel Solis, a diligent senior at North Dallas High School who is part of the Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-Tech): EMT Program. Solis, with an eye on the horizon, intends to channel his scholarship funds towards his forthcoming education at Texas A&M, where he will delve into the study of community health. His long-term ambition is to make a significant contribution to the field of radiology, illustrating his dedication not only to his education but also to a future of service in healthcare. His ambitions underscore the critical role that scholarships like the Juanita Craft play in empowering our future generations to reach for their dreams.

“It feels really great to be here. It’s lovely weather, lovely food and overall it just feels really good to represent my school. It feels really good because I’ve been going here [Dallas ISD] since I was a kid so I kind of feel rewarded for being here since I was a little kid,” Solis said.

Paying homage to the enduring influence of Juanita Craft, a civil rights luminary hailing from South Dallas, the State Fair annually bestows college scholarships upon a chosen cadre of students from six high schools within the Dallas ISD, strategically positioned around the Fair Park vicinity.

“To be awarded as a 2023 Big Tex Scholar, I feel incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity. I feel honored to be considered by an organization that dedicates so much to students’ education,” said Katie Kha, North Dallas High School student.

“This scholarship will help fund my future studies at Texas Woman’s University and help me reach my career goals.”

Schools included in Juanita Craft Scholarship:

• Franklin D. Roosevelt High School of Innovation
• Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School
• James Madison High School
• Lincoln High School and Humanities/Communications Magnet
• North Dallas High School
• Woodrow Wilson High School

Click here for a full list of scholarship recipients.