The ISA is proud to continue to award academic surf scholarships to under-18 junior surfers from all over the globe. The ISA Individual Scholarship Program was established in 2007, and in its six year history has awarded 172 individual scholarships and a total of $128,500. This year, the ISA will award 50 individual $1,000 scholarships, a total of $50,000.
The ISA Scholarship Recipients are inspirational individuals, who strive to succeed in both surfing and education. These “ISA Ambassadors” are selected based on their interest in surfing, commitment to education, and their family’s financial need.
The objective of the ISA Individual Scholarship Program is to provide financial support to young surfers, many from developing countries, who demonstrate an actual need, in order to facilitate their experience in surfing while encouraging them on the importance of education. The money must be used to further the junior surfer’s education, pay for travel to surf contests, contest fees, or to upgrade their surfing equipment.
“At the ISA we are committed to our mission of developing surfing globally. The ISA Scholarship program is fundamental to help surfing’s youth around the world,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “I want to encourage every young surfer in the world to take advantage of this great opportunity that can change their life forever.”
5-Time ISA Scholarship Recipient Juninho Urcia (middle) alongside Peru National Olympic Committee President Jose Quiñones (right) and ISA President Fernando Aguerre at the IOC’s Sport For All Conference in Lima, Peru, where he was recently spotlighted as a real life example of how the ISA Scholarship program can change the life one athlete, but affect the lives of thousands of others.
The ISA Scholarship Recipients are inspirational individuals, who strive to succeed in both surfing and education. These “ISA Ambassadors” are selected based on their interest in surfing, commitment to education, and their family’s financial need. The ISA Ambassadors are a positive role model for other young surfers in their community.
Jyothi Bangera from India, 2012 ISA Scholarship Recipient
Past ISA Scholarship Recipients include Peru’s 5-time winner (2007-2011), Juninho Urcia, who first received an ISA Scholarship at age 11, enabling the young surfer to complete his secondary education, purchase surf equipment, and travel and train with the Peruvian National Team. Urcia became Peru’s youngest Open Men’s National Champion ever in 2011 and was part of the Gold Medal Peruvian Team at the 2011 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship, where he also earned an individual Bronze Medal. He is currently competing on the ASP World Qualifying Series.
Juninho Urcia (PER) 5-Time ISA Scholarship Recipient (2007-2011)
Juninho was recently spotlighted at the IOC’s Sport For All Conference in the presentation made by the ISA President in Lima, Peru as a real life example of how the ISA Scholarship program can change the life one athlete, but affect the life of thousands of others.
Nikkita Avdeev (RUS) 2012 ISA Scholarship Recipient
Other great ISA Ambassadors include Russia’s Nikkita Avdeev, who was the only competitor for Team Russia at the 2013 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in Nicaragua, marking the first time Russia participated at the World Juniors.
Elenna “Lulu” Erkeneff (USA) 2012 ISA Scholarship Recipient, next to Surfing America President Greg Cruse.
USA’s Elenna “Lulu” Erkeneff, graduated high school with honors and with the help from the ISA Scholarship will be going to the University of California Santa Barbara. Erkeneff was also a member of the Bronze Medal Team USA at the 2013 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in Nicaragua.
The ISA Individual Scholarship Program application is available on the ISA website www.ISASurf.org. The deadline for submission of an application is August 10, 2013. Applicants must be born after December 31st, 1994. The application includes answering a few questions about the applicant’s personal experiences and an essay about why the applicant thinks they deserve to win the ISA Scholarship.
The ISA Individual Scholarship Program is funded in part by grants from Hurley and Reef Redemption.
– See more at: http://www.isasurf.org/isa-to-award-fifty-1000-individual-scholarships-to-surfings-youth-around-the-world-2/#sthash.kZFdoTnX.dpuf