Congratulations 2023 Balkhi Foundation Scholars!

The Balkhi Foundation is pleased to announce the winners of our 2023 Balkhi Foundation Higher Education Scholarship and Rotary Scholarship. Each of these students has demonstrated a persistent drive to succeed despite the personal and environmental obstacles in their way. The winners of this year’s scholarship each will receive a $1000 annual renewable award towards the cost of attendance at their college or university.

The 2023 Balkhi Foundation Scholars represent a keen focus on education, a passion for community service, and a strong personal commitment to their future goals. Teacher recommendations routinely described our scholars as exceptional young people and lead. The 2023 cohort of Scholars will be entering their chosen college or university with experience – both in the classroom with college credits and outside the classroom as leaders in their community.

This cohort also represents an ongoing collaboration between the Balkhi Foundation and the Rotary Club of the Northern Palm Beaches to fund future educators. This year’s Balkhi Foundation Rotary Scholar – Sofia Goehler – plans to return to her home district of Palm Beach County to teach following college graduation. Please join us in celebrating Sofia and all of our 2023 Balkhi Foundation Scholars. To learn more about our scholars’ achievements, please visit our 2023 Scholars showcase.

2023 Balkhi Foundation Scholars:

Abdulrahman Sadiq from Alief Early College High School in Houston, Texas attending University of Southern California

Andrea Hernández Piña from Rio Rico High School in Rio Rico, Arizona attending University of Arizona

Elijah Rosen from Signature School in Evansville, Indiana attending Carnegie Mellon

Grayson Hodson from Beech High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee attending University of Illinois

Liam Chelkowski from Seminole High School in Sanford, Florida attending Cornell University

Linda Benavides from Mauldin High School in Mauldin, South Carolina attending Clemson University

Maria Bustinza from Gulf High School in New Port Richey, Florida attending the University of South Florida

Raewyn Shaw from Leon High School in Leon, Florida attending the University of South Florida

Raphael Mukondiwa from Knightdale High School in Knightdale, North Carolina attending Duke University

Sofia Goehler from Boca Raton Community High School in Boca Raton, Florida attending Tallahassee Community College
Yujia Ji from Dublin Scioto High School in Dublin, Ohio attending the Ohio State University

The Balkhi Foundation celebrates our 2023 scholars as well as our 2022, 2021, and 2020 scholars who qualified for scholarship renewal this year. Additionally, we celebrate our ever growing list of Scholar Alumni, our college and university graduates who are now pursuing the next phase of lives.

Each year the Balkhi Foundation commits to funding a cohort of ten scholars throughout four years of college education. Additional scholarships, such as those provided by the Rotary Club of the Northern Palm Beaches, allow for more students to join and benefit from the mentorship resources and financial support of the Balkhi Foundation. If you would like to help the Balkhi Foundation in its mission to fight inequality through education, please consider donating now. All donations go directly toward providing scholarships to exceptional students.

To learn more about our scholars, please visit our Scholar Showcase.

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