When Ezekial Hobbs walked into the senior awards assembly at Booker T. Washington Senior High his thoughts were on how he was going to pay for college.
Because he was raised, as one of five kids, by his grandmother and mother, the family couldn’t afford the Florida Prepaid College Plan. So, despite his 4.3 GPA and more than 600 hours of community service, being president of the National Honor Society, being president of Quill and Scroll, and being founder and editor of the Booker T. Washington literary magazine, the 18-year-old was looking at gathering student loans to pay for his education at Florida A&M University.
But in just a split second, his life — and future — changed forever, thanks to the Biscayne Bay Kiwanis Club.
Hobbs, who plans on majoring in journalism and being an investigative journalist, broke down in tears and his classmates cheered when his name was announced by the Kiwanis Club’s Rick Freedman as the winner of a four-year, fully paid college scholarship valued at $30,000.
“Education is something I always believed in, that it would take me places in life,” Hobbs said, wiping away tears. “This means so much to me and my family. I am just overwhelmed.”
Now, thanks to the Biscayne Bay Kiwanis Club, a 66-year-old community service organization serving disadvantages children in Overtown, Allapattah and Midtown Miami, Hobbs won’t have paying for college weighing on his mind.
“We’re so proud to be able to tell you that now you don’t have to worry about paying for that college education,” said Freedman, who, along with his committee, reviewed more than 400 pages of information supplied by the 16 scholarship finalists. “We’re excited for you and for the opportunity to help make a difference in your life.”
Making the day even more special was the appearance of Stanley Tate, founder of the Florida Prepaid College Program that bears his name. Tate participated in the official check presentation in front of hundreds of Hobbs’ classmates. More than 1.6 million “contracts” for the prepaid program have been purchased, and more than 350,000 students have gone to college using the plan.
“Florida has the highest percentage of kids going to college in the nation,” Tate said after presenting the check and talking to Hobbs. “And today another youngsters joins their ranks.”
The Biscayne Bay Kiwanis Club, one of South Florida’s most active community service organizations, has a wide variety of successful programs serving youngsters in the inner city. They include: an in-school reading program to help second graders prepare for their end-of-year exams; providing lessons in etiquette, civics, and life skills; guided tours of the Everglades for children in shelters, public housing, and foster care; feeding the homeless and giving Thanksgiving meals to families; chaperoning field trips to local attractions, museums and sporting events; volunteering with and providing holiday gifts and field trips to disabled adults; giving school uniforms, supplies and backpacks to children in need, and awarding of college scholarships to high school seniors. During the past six years, the club has awarded nearly $180,000 in scholarships throughout Miami-Dade County.
For more information about the Biscayne Bay Kiwanis or to join in one of the community service projects, text or phone the club at 305-814-2225.
Way to go, Kiwanians