Managing Partner of the Bostick Law Group, Michael T. Bostick Esq., is passionate about providing the youth with the tools needed to succeed in a competitive environment. In May of this year, the Bostick Law Group opened the application process for the first annual Bostick Law Group Scholarship Contest.
The purpose of the contest is to encourage our youth to understand the importance of literacy, their history, and community involvement. Qualifications for the contest include:
- Applicants must be enrolled as a high school senior in Florida as of January 20th of this year.
- Applicants must show proof of a minimum of 10 hours of community service.
- The essay had to be at least 500 words in length and clearly illustrate how the requested topic impacts their lives.
Essay Topic
Choosing a topic during a time when our nation is experiencing a wide range of socio-economic issues was not an easy decision. In the end, the committee decided on a topic many minority students face when grappling with where to pursue their post-secondary education.
2022 Topic:
Is attending an HBCU an important factor in deciding where you go to college? Why or why not?
Submissions
The Bostick Law Group Scholarship Committee received numerous entries from students all over South Florida. The essays included heartwarming stories of perseverance, the need for acceptance, and making a decision that extends well beyond the color of one’s skin. To assist the committee with grading the essays, the group used a numerical scoring system with points awarded for:
- Content: How thoroughly was the topic question answered? Did the writer provide ample details and examples that directly relate to the topic?
- Organization: Was the logic and flow of the essay well organized?
- Spelling & Grammer: Did the writer give careful attention to spelling, grammar, and sentence structure throughout the entire essay?
In addition to the items above, the committee also added or deducted points if the applicant did not provide their transcripts or community service hours.
The Winner
Once all the scores were tallied, there was a clear winner among the submissions. Ryan Henry did an exceptional job at clearly demonstrating why his decision to attend an HBCU came not only from personal and historical experiences but also how the institution will benefit him in his future endeavors. Here is just a brief excerpt from Mr. Henry’s essay:
“First and foremost, the representation of other Black people is very important to me. I have grown up in an environment where I have been surrounded by people that I look up to who look exactly like me. Places, where people who look like me thrive, are more likely to help me thrive as a result. The reason for that is we, as Black people, understand the struggle that we must go through to live in the modern day. I’ve learned from my years of playing sports that people are more inclined to help each other if they understand and go through the same experiences as each other. It applies directly in an HBCU environment, where the majority is going through or has gone through the same struggles not only as a student but as a minority in America. Those experiences form natural bonds with people and in turn, elevate all of us. So, to see a welcoming environment for Black students that actively work to help each other really drives me to choose an HBCU as my college of choice.”
—— Ryan Henry, 2022 BLG Scholarship Winner
The BLG committee is thrilled to gift Mr. Ryan Henry $1,000.00 towards his college education, at whichever institution he ultimately chooses. If you’d like to see the video of Mr. Henry receiving his prize, you can view it below.
The Bostick Law Group would like to thank all the applicants that took the time to submit their work for the scholarship contest. We wish each and every one of you the best moving forward in your academic careers.
