Burleson grad Brandon White wins Guthrie scholarship
May 12—Burleson resident Brandon L. White recently received a Polly Guthrie Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $1,500.
The Johnson County Republican Women's Club, of which Guthrie was a member, awards the scholarship annually. All graduating seniors within Johnson County are eligible to apply each year including students graduating from public, private, charter or home schools.
Applicants submit an essay on a topic provided by the JCRW and undergo an interview process.
This year's essay focused on illegal immigration and its impact on Texas and the United State, JCRW Secretary Dawn Hammock said.
White attended Burleson's Centennial High School through his junior year and home school for his senior year.
Texas A&M University recently accepted White for the upcoming fall semester. He intends to pursue a degree in agricultural leadership and development.
"We sent out a press release listing some of Brandon's accomplishments but that's only a fraction of what he was involved with during high school," Hammock said. "He's a pretty impressive young man."
Among other accomplishments, White was named a Norman Borlaug Youth and Agriculture Scholar, Texas Youth Livestock and Agriculture Advocacy Academy member and served as an Agriculture Counsel student intern at the state capital. White also attended the Texas Youth Livestock and Agriculture Animal Science short course at Texas Tech University.
In addition to those accolades, White was an honor student at Centennial High School and a National Honor Society member.
White participated in Texas 4-H throughout high school. He served on the state council, as a Johnson County Farm Bureau ambassador and agricultural student intern in Austin. White invested more than 150 hours in the 4-H Congress and attended 4-H day at the state capital.
JCRW scholarship committee members chose White from among 14 applicants.
The merit-based scholarship honors former JCRW member Pauline "Polly" Guthrie, who passed away in 2011.
Guthrie, a Joshua resident, worked as a teacher and coach. Guthrie also served as president of JCRW, as district director of Senatorial District 22 of the Texas Federation of Republican Women and served on both the National Republican Congressional and Senatorial Advisory Committee in addition to numerous other leadership positions throughout her life.
"Our hope for students who go through the scholarship process is that it gets them to thinking of what it means to be a conservative as they move forward in their educational pursuits and life," Hammock said. "We want to support them in their education and life going forward. Want to encourage the importance of community, giving back, being involved and being a productive, functional person in society."
JCRW members canceled this year's annual Polly Guthrie Memorial Scholarship Gala because the scheduled speaker was unable to make the event. Each year's scholarship winner or winners typically read their essay during the gala. The JCRW hope to schedule a time to honor White and his parents later this year, Hammock said.
