The Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation

1992-2009 Scholarship Award Winners

Bobby Bragan, former major league baseball player, manager, and coach, established the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation in 1991 as an effort to encourage children to stay in school and pursue their educational and career dreams. The foundation recognizes outstanding eighth grade students each year by awarding scholarships to selected students, to be used toward first-year college tuition.

More than 37,000 eighth grade students from 116 public schools representing 19 school districts from across the North Texas metroplex are offered the opportunity to apply for these scholarships. Through this scholarship incentive program, the foundation gives students, regardless of need, the drive to stay in school, graduate, and go on to college.

The unique relationship of the foundation with professional baseball is especially exciting to these students, as well as to donors and supporters of the program. In addition, the assurance of financial assistance for college is particularly encouraging to an impressionable thirteen-year-old.

Over the last 15 years, the foundation has awarded 401 students more than $1,000,000 in $2,500 first-year scholarships. As of 2006, more than 98% of the eighth grade students that received the promise of a scholarship went on to college after graduating from high school. These students enrolled in colleges and universities from across the country, attending such institutions as Brandeis, Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard University, MIT, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Rice, Stanford, Texas A&M, Texas Christian University, The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Virginia at Charlottesville, and West Point, among many others.

Program Structure
In the fall of each year, eighth grade students are asked to apply for a scholarship by completing an application which includes extensive information about their academic achievements, extracurricular and athletic activities, and community involvement from 6th through 8th grade. Students are also required to write an essay on their favorite role model. Each participating school then nominates the two most worthy applicants for consideration by the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation. On average, a total of 150 applications are collected from school counselors and English teachers for consideration each year.

A scholarship committee comprised of foundation board members assists in presenting applications to the schools, and also participates in the scholarship review process, ultimately selecting the 32 students who will receive scholarships. The committee is assisted during the review process by Tarrant County College English honors students, who score the essay portion of each application. A Scholarship Celebration is held in the spring, at which all the finalists for that year are recognized and the 34 scholarship winners are announced.

Whether the student is an applicant, finalist, or winner, the application process offers them an introduction to the scholarship process and also alerts them to the importance of academic achievement throughout high school.

The Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation continues to communicate with its winners, encouraging them to do their best during their high school years. Many students go on to apply for other scholarships during their junior and senior years, maximizing their potential for a quality education.

Organizational capacity
Since its founding, the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation has provided support for these impressive young people by demonstrating confidence in their drive and determination and offering them encouragement with financial assistance. Scholarship funding has been provided by Mr. Bragan, his friends and family, as well as numerous corporations and foundations.

In addition to an advisory board comprised of supporters from across the country, a local board of directors is involved in conducting various programs of the organization through committee work, financial support, and volunteering at events.

The foundation’s annual Lifetime Achievement Award Gala is a primary source of revenue for the scholarship fund. A sports celebrity who has demonstrated significant achievement on and off the playing field is honored at the gala each year. At the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award Gala Bobby Bragan, Bobby Brown, Tommy Lasorda, Bobby Valentine, Maury Wills, and many other baseball greats were among the more than 500 guests on hand to honor Earl Weaver, as well as the 32 high school seniors slated to graduate and receive their college scholarships at the end of the academic year. In addition, each year the Fort Worth Cats hosts Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation Night at LaGrave Field. The Cats organization donates up to 5,000 tickets for one night’s game which are sold in packages to foundation supporters. The proceeds from these ticket sales go a long way in supporting the foundation and its mission.

Scholarships are paid out annually from the scholarship endowment fund, which has significantly increased over the life of the fund. Donors that make a donation in the amount of $25,000 or $50,000 earn the honor of having a scholarship permanently established in their name. These named scholarships serve as a perfect vehicle for honoring a loved one in perpetuity.

The Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation motivates youth to become better scholars, citizens, and athletes, and to serve as leaders and role models for their peers.