As part of its commitment to enable and inspire teens to achieve más, the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens™ will award $60,000 in educational scholarships to four teens who were selected to participate in the 12 th Annual Taco Bell® Skills Challenge (#TacoBellSkills) during State Farm® All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, Feb. 15. “Throughout our 22-year history, the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens has provided opportunities like the Taco Bell® Skills Challenge to give teens the resources they need to reach their full potential,” says Brian Niccol, Taco Bell’s President and Chairman of the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens. “The remarkable teens chosen to participate in this year’s Challenge have powered through obstacles, and we know that, if we just give them the opportunity to be successful through this scholarship, they will go on to do great things.” The teens, who have shown outstanding determination to stay in school despite personal obstacles, will receive an experience of a lifetime with a behind-the-scenes career tour of NBA All-Star and exclusive opportunity to meet and take a photo with NBA players. They will be awarded scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $30,000. All-Star teen Raeshawn Henderson said, “My mom is a single parent raising five children. Winning this scholarship will fuel my dream of becoming a nurse and helping people in need.” Participating teen Deja Smith said, “My family struggled with healthcare bills, now my mom works two jobs. This scholarship would help me to achieve my dreams of attending college and becoming an orthodontist.” As a proud partner of teen-serving organizations across the U.S., the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens™ will also donate a total of $60,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America locations nationwide, presented in the names of the NBA players who compete in the Taco Bell® Skills Challenge. Representing the Eastern Conference are DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, and rookies Michael Carter-Williams of the Philadelphia 76ers and Victor Oladipo of the Orlando Magic.
