MIAMI, FL--(Marketwire - October 1, 2010) - The Miami-Dade County Asian American Advisory Board today announced that CBS 4 news broadcaster Shannon Hori will emcee the 2010 annual Asian American Student Scholarship award ceremony at the Storer Auditorium on the University of Miami campus on Saturday October 9, 2010. She will be joined by Miami-Dade County Commissioners in honoring 21 students of Asian Heritage who have excelled in academic pursuits and community service. These students come from Princeton, Duke, University of Pennsylvania, and the UM, among other institutions.
More than $25,000 in scholarships will be awarded at the event which commences at 4:30 pm and continues to 7:30 pm. Refreshments/hors d'oeuvres will be served at 4:30 pm; the awards ceremony will begin at 6 pm. The event is free and open to the public.
The Board also will present its 2010 Humanitarian Award to Somy Ali, founder of the domestic abuse charity No More Tears. Ms. Ali, a former Bollywood actress and model, helps immigrant women in South Florida escape domestic abuse. Founded in 2006, her non-profit supplies counseling, housing, financial aid and legal assistance to women who hail from distant lands, including India, Russia, Guyana, and nearby countries, including Cuba and the Bahamas.
Estanley Baptiste, 2010 Edison Senior High School graduate and Silver Knight Award winner in English & Literature, also will receive the Board's Humanitarian Award. Baptiste arrived in the U.S. from his native Haiti in 2006 without knowing a word of English. Throughout high school he managed to live alone without any family members while working full time at Publix to earn a living.
At Edison, Baptiste earned top grades on the state math and reading tests and established a tutoring program to help other students. Currently a Miami Dade College student, he dreams of attending Harvard and a career as a math teacher.
"The Asian American Advisory Board is fortunate to be able to raise funds in order to recognize and showcase the achievements of our Asian-American students in Miami-Dade County and to give back to our community," said Board Chairman Shawn Khosravi. "The Miami-Dade County students we are honoring are of Korean, Indian, Chinese, Iranian, Pakistani and Filipino heritage."
The program, which will feature a performance by Arvida Middle School Orchestra, also will be highlighted by a presentation by U.S. Congresswoman Carrie Meek (retired), who is one of the award sponsors. Miami-Dade County Commissioners Carlos Gimenez, Audrey Edmonson and Joe Martinez will attend the celebration. Each award recipient will also receive a personal letter of congratulation from U.S. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
The Asian American Student Scholarships are funded by the Friends of the Miami-Dade County Asian American Advisory Board, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) entity. College scholarship applicants must be enrolled at an accredited post-secondary educational institution. Applicants who graduate high school in the spring must have a 3.5 GPA and be enrolled full-time in the fall term for the scholarship and awards ceremony. Financial need is also considered in the selection of scholarship recipients.
Students interested in applying for the 2011 Miami-Dade Asian American Student Scholarships can find information about the scholarships and about Friends of AAAB by visiting www.friendsofaaab.com. The 2011 submission deadline for scholarships is August 1, 2011. Also, information about joining as a member of Friends is provided in the website. Membership dues help pay the expenses of the scholarship ceremony and the many projects Friends undertakes for the benefit of the Asian American community.
About the Miami-Dade County Asian American Advisory Board
The Miami-Dade County Asian American Advisory Board (AAAB) was created to work in an advisory capacity to the Board of County Commissioners, administration, community and all agencies in Miami-Dade County with respect to matters pertaining to the Asian American community. The AAAB also is dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of Asian American culture and heritage and the promotion of social and cultural awareness of Asian Americans in Miami-Dade County. Major cultural events in South Florida, such as the annual Chinese New Year Festival, annual Asian Cultural Festival, The Asian Heritage Month celebrations and the annual Festivals of India, Iran and Pakistan, are promoted under the group's aegis.
Contact Information:
Media Contact:
Alan Penchansky
The Pen Group Communications
(305) 529-1944
alan@thepengroup.com