Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida Celebrates Scholarship Awards for Eight Local Students

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida is proud to announce eight local students in our mentoring programs will receive scholarships through a generous award program, paving the way for their higher education journey.

This incredible opportunity comes through a collaboration between Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and the Florida Prepaid College Foundation. Last year, FPL joined forces with the Foundation to award $4.2 million in college scholarships to students from the state's most underprivileged areas. This initiative aims to provide 1,000 students with 2-year scholarships over four years. The $2.1 million contribution from FPL, matched dollar-for-dollar by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, marks the largest donation since the Path to Prosperity Scholarship Program's inception in 2021. This program, in partnership with the Florida Chamber Foundation, seeks to reduce childhood poverty in our state by granting deserving students access to higher education. 

"Through this partnership, FPL is honored to support the next steps toward a brighter future that these students have worked to secure," said J.T. Young, VP and General Manager of FPL Northwest region. "We recognize that great student potential should not be limited by economic constraints, and we hope some of these bright students will join the FPL family someday." 

The Florida Prepaid College Foundation and Florida Chamber Foundation have partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Florida, among other organizations, to identify eligible students for these scholarships. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida reached out to high school students who met the scholarship criteria, resulting in eight students being selected. These recipients can use their scholarships at Florida's public colleges and universities, as well as technical and vocational schools. 

"Working with FPL makes our mission even more special," says BBBS NWFL President and CEO, Paula Shell. "They are giving our Littles opportunities they might not have had otherwise, and it's making a huge difference in their lives. We're really excited to see where this takes them." 

We are deeply grateful to Florida Power & Light Company for their commitment to helping Florida students reach their full potential and for their continuous support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida