HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO™ ANNOUNCES $18.8 MILLION
IN EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENT TO YOUTH OF TEXAS

HOUSTON — Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials today announced an $18.8 million commitment to education and youth across the state, reaching a wide variety of agricultural, cultural, and other educational programs.

In addition to its annual direct scholarships to high school seniors statewide, the Show will award $1 million to the Houston Independent School District Foundation in support of the Apollo 20 Program, plus an additional $500,000 for the district’s literacy program.

Also, the Show is funding grants to the Texas Wildlife Association Foundation; Texas Aerospace Scholars; Teach for America; Houston Grand Opera; Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education; the Texas Rangers Association Foundation; and other Texas organizations, colleges, and universities.

“Our exhibitors and fans come from all 254 counties in Texas, so it’s exciting to reach out and touch every corner of our great state,” said Skip Wagner, president of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

The $18.8 million commitment to the youth of Texas includes:

·         Scholarships to high school seniors

·         Graduate assistantships for graduate students at 11 different Texas universities

·         Educational Program grants for a variety of organizations

·         Endowments for various universities

·         Support for 2012 junior show exhibitors

Thanks to the help of nearly 25,000 volunteers, this commitment brings the Show’s total since 1932 to approximately $283 million, benefiting youth and education in Texas.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to benefiting youth, supporting education, and facilitating better agricultural practices through exhibitions and presentations. The 2012 Show runs Feb. 28 through March 18. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com. 

See the yearly commitment here and descriptions of programs here.