JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Jacob Hobbs of Troy, MO, a senior at Troy Buchanan High School, is one of six students in Missouri to win the 19th annual Project 21 Scholarship competition sponsored by the Missouri Gaming Association, the professional organization representing casino operators in Missouri.
Hobbs created a poster titled “There’s No Jackpot In Underage Gambling.” As first place winner, he will receive a $1,500 Project 21 scholarship towards tuition at Truman State University. He plans to study biology and go to medical school to become a general practitioner.
“I hope that by displaying my poster in school, I will be able to reach out to other students and inspire in them the courage to stand against adolescent gambling,” said Hobbs, who displayed his poster in a sociology class at his high school. The students were so interested in the poster that the sociology teacher created a lesson plan around the topic.
“Underage gambling is not something you hear a lot about, but when you hear the facts, you see it is a really prevalent problem, “Hobbs said. “Through all the research I have been through, I am thoroughly invested in spreading the truths that have been passed to me.”
The Missouri Gaming Association annually 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 Project 21 Scholarship was developed to educate young people about the issues and dangers of underage gambling. In Missouri, it’s illegal for persons under the age of 21 to gamble in a 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 scholarship requires students to create essays, posters or videos on the illegality and dangers of underage gambling and publish or display them in their schools to help educate other students.
“We know that young people are influenced by their peers, so Project 21 encourages them to learn about the issues of underage gambling and share that information with their classmates,” said Mike Winter, executive director of the Missouri Gaming Association.
The Missouri Gaming Association (MGA) is the statewide trade association of the Missouri casino entertainment industry. Founded in 1993, the Missouri Gaming Association works to increase awareness of the economic benefits of casinos in Missouri. For more information, visit jp2.496.myftpupload.com.
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