CLEARWATER, Fla. — With the Philadelphia Phillies in Dunedin Monday, Clearwater For Youth kept BayCare Ballpark occupied with its 4th annual Breakfast at the Ballpark event.
CFY sifted through a record 176 applicants this year handing out, another record, $250,000 in scholarships. The organization has given out more than $1.5 million dollars in scholarships since its inception in 2013.
It helps when there are incredible sponsors in the community willing to help students-in-need out, like former Olympian Michele Smith.
"To be able to make a difference, on and off the field, I think is every athletes dream," Smith said. "It is vert fulfilling. I think it is the greatest thing you can do in your life is to make a difference for someone else, so they can pay it forward one day."
Myah Caufman, who is a competitive dancer and cheerleader, is one of the students who received a $10,000 scholarship at the event. She plans to attend FAU and says the money is a huge help.
"It will definitely help a lot with housing. My mom is a single mother and I would be a first-generation college student, so it is amazing to see all this hard work is paying off," Caufman said. "It's amazing to know I'll be able to repay my mom in some sort of way."
Terri Anne D'Aristotile participates in cross country, theatre and chorus at Clearwater High School. She has not made her college decision yet, but she likes Florida, Florida State, Miami and a few Ivy League schools she is waiting to hear back from.
"It's surreal, I have $5,000 and I can use this to really help me," D'Aristotile said. "It's very rewarding. I'm very grateful."
The CFY organization reaches 12,000 children annually helping kids in Pinellas County participate in the team-building activity of their choosing.
10 Tampa Bay is a proud sponsor of its year-long mission.