| ST. LOUIS, MO – Nina Kramer and Melissa Dierkes, 2016 graduates of Bishop DuBourg High School in St. Louis, are among seven students in Missouri to win the 20th annual Project 21 Scholarship competition sponsored by the Missouri Gaming Association, the professional organization representing casino operators in Missouri. Kramer will receive a $500 scholarship toward tuition at Lindenwood University. Dierkes will receive a $500 scholarship toward tuition at University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Kramer and Dierkes jointly won the award based on their video “How Much Do People Actually Know About Teenage Gambling?” The video was broadcast on their high school morning show to help educate other students. “It really opened my eyes,” said Kramer. “I realized that just because you’re not old enough to gamble doesn’t mean you can’t become addicted to gambling at a young age.” Kramer plans to pursue a degree in Dance. She is a member of Guild Theatre, Choir and was a Student Ambassador. Dierkes plans to purse a degree in pharmacy. She is a member of National Honor Society, Volleyball and Golf teams, Guild Theatre and Choir. The Project 21 Scholarship Contest was developed to educate young people that it’s illegal for persons under the age of 21 to gamble in a Missouri casino. The competition is open to all Missouri high school seniors planning to attend an institution of higher education in the United States within four years of graduation. The students were asked to create an essay, poster or video aimed at educating their peers about the illegality and dangers of underage gambling. The entries must have been published or viewed in the students’ high schools in January or February of the contest year. The Missouri Gaming Association awards two $1,500 scholarships and four $1,000 scholarships, jointly issued to the winners and the accredited institutions of higher education they select. “The Missouri casino industry is dedicated to education in our state, both through the funding that results from gaming tax revenues and through efforts like Project 21,” said Mike Winter, executive director of the Missouri Gaming Association. “Our experience has been that young people are most effected by messages delivered by their peers. Project 21 encourages students to learn about the issues of underage gambling and share that information with peers.” ABOUT MISSOURI GAMING ASSOCIATION # # #
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Source: Missouri Gaming – news