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Hooked On Fishing International (Kids Fishing)
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(Nov. 16, 2006 - Tulsa, OK)... Six young anglers from across the country have been selected to the 2006 Kids All-American Fishing (KAAF) Team Scholarship and Ambassador Program. Each will receive a $5,000 scholarship and other prizes for having been chosen for their outstanding leadership in their respective communities.
The exemplary young anglers named to the 2006 KAAF Team include-Nicholas Barr, age 15, Lacy, Wash.; Hayley Ellis, age 14, Lee Summit, Mo.; Mitchell Fish, age 10, Bethel Park, Pa.; Brian Kessie, age 13, Springboro, Ohio; Kerryn Stroud, age 12, Greenville, S.C.; and Max Zavell, age 8, Highland Park, Ill..
Each of the ambassadors was chosen from hundreds of applicants through a formal selection process. As part of the national appointment, each receives a $5,000 U.S. Savings Bond for use in current or future education, a pro angler-style fishing jersey, a team-member trophy, and an in-store recognition ceremony at their local Wal-Mart store.
Selection to the KAAF Team is not based on fishing skills or abilities, rather the youngster’s ability to communicate their joy of fishing and the leadership example they set helping others in their respective communities.
The Scholarship and Ambassador Program is part of Wal-Mart Kids All-American Fishing presented by Zebco. Hooked On Fishing International, Inc. (HOFI), the largest organizer of youth-family fishing partnerships in the country, produces the program.
"This program is designed to recognize and reward the best and brightest of America’s young anglers who love fishing, yet, have a greater passion for making a difference in the lives of others and their communities," said Daniel Johnson, HOFI president. "The kids chosen truly are today’s role models and tomorrow’s leaders, and deserve to be recognized for all the great non-fishing things they do".
The KAAF Team of Barr, Ellis, Fish, Kessie, Stroud, and Zavell represents exactly the kind of youth leaders that HOFI officials had in mind when creating the recognition program. Each recipient has demonstrated extensive community involvement and outstanding leadership.
For instance, Barr has helped to spearhead and implement several lake cleanup, revegitation, and enhancement projects. He has received numerous community service awards, including both the Perfect Citizen Award and Community Service Seal Award for the positive impact he has made in his hometown.
Ellis, honored with the Optimist Super Student Award, is active in her Lee Summit, Mo., community. She participates in the Kid’s United group at her local church that plans projects to help the elderly and the needy. Additionally, she performs service projects with her Girl Scout troop on a regular basis, and has served as a mediator at her school.
Fish has been very busy helping others. He participated in both a food drive and a ’Chores for Change’ campaign for Hurricane Katrina victims. Fish also volunteers to help children with autism, and is involved in several fundraising events such as Walk for Autism.
Among Kessie’s long list of achievements, is the distinction of "Who’s Who among Outstanding Middle School Students", and selection to attend the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. He is also a leader in his local 4-H club.
Stroud is actively involved in making a difference in the lives of others in her hometown. She is a volunteer with Meals on Wheels, has collected coats for a community coat drive, participated in several food and clothing drives for the local Soup Kitchen, and has given vocal performances at the nursing home to bring joy to the residents.
Zavell leads by example too. He has participated in numerous service projects with his Boy Scout troop. He has also donated school supplies to needy children, raised money for the American Heart Association, gave money to UNICEF to help Tsunami victims, and has participated in local food drives.
In addition to each of the young anglers’ long lists of accomplishments, all of them have a love for fishing with family and friends, and that’s how HOFI discovers them.
"Most of our applicants learned about the KAAF Team while participating in one of the nearly 2,000 fishing derbies HOFI supports across America," Johnson explained. "Fishing is a family activity that helps instill confidence, compassion, trust and respect, which is evident with the caliber of young anglers chosen to represent the 2006 KAAF Team." He added.
Scholarship Program Administrators (SPA), an independent review committee, is responsible for receiving and reviewing the applications, conducting the phone interviews with finalists, and ultimately selecting the award recipients. They will begin accepting applications for the 2007 Kids All-American Fishing team in April.
Information will be available at Wal-Mart Kids All-American Fishing presented by Zebco events beginning again nationwide in the spring. Information and applications are also available at the kids=fishing website.
The Kids All-American Fishing Team Scholarship & Ambassador Program, is made possible by corporate sponsors committed to enriching America’s youth, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Zebco, Fujifilm, Castrol, Kellogg’s and Keebler.
HOFI is a Tulsa, Okla., company. More than eight million youngsters and their families have participated in the program over its 20-year history at events held throughout all 50 states and at U.S. military bases as far away as England, Germany, South Korea and Japan. |
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