For Immediate Release

Florida Sheriffs Association Awards Scholarships to Students
Studying Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice

Seminole County Sheriff's Office Administrative Assistant Patty Darnell with her daughter, Jamie Baston, and Sheriff Don Eslinger.

Tallahassee, Fla. (July 19, 2012) – Every year, the Florida Sheriffs Association awards a number of scholarships to hardworking students studying for a career in law enforcement, corrections or another field of criminal justice. These students look to follow in the footsteps of their parents, as they are also the sons and daughters of employees working full-time at one of Florida’s 67 Sheriffs’ Offices. To be considered for the scholarship, students submitted a five-page application in addition to an essay on The role integrity plays throughout the career of a law enforcement office or corrections deputy. The applications and essays were reviewed by a committee of representatives from the Florida Sheriffs Association whose members selected the nine recipients. The 2012 recipients are:

• Jamie Baston – Seminole State College
Jamie is the daughter of Patricia Darnell, secretary for the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and will be pursuing a bachelor’s degree in forensic science. Along with her participation as the manager of Hurricane’s restaurant and a frequent varsity soccer player, she has volunteered with the Sheriff’s Office for several special events including a holiday party where she was instrumental in establishing a rapport with the elderly community.

Monroe County Sheriff's Office Lt. Roy Bogue, his son, David, Sheriff Bob Peryam and David's mom, Susan Bogue.

• David Bogue – Ave Marie University
David is the son of Sgt. Roy Bogue from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and will pursue a degree in pre-law. He has a vigilant eye for things out of the norm and calls his father when he spots erratic vehicles on the highway. He plans to continue his education by going to law school and hopes to become a criminal prosecutor.

• Dustin Bullara – Hillsborough Community College
Dustin is the son of Maj. Robert Bullara from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and is an incoming freshman studying pre-law. He hopes to enter the criminal justice field as a lawyer. He achieved a 4.57 GPA while being actively involved in Student Government, National Honor Society and participating in varsity football and track.

• Sarah Caban – University of West Florida
Sarah is the daughter of Sgt. Jason Caban from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and will pursue a degree in criminal justice.  She has known that she would pursue a career in law enforcement since her sophomore year in high school and has even used class projects as an opportunity to engage herself in the field.

• Darius Connelly – University of North Florida
Darius is the son of Deputy Sheriff Darryl Connelly from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and will study computer science with hopes of following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a dedicated public servant.  He has logged more than 120 hours as a volunteer in the Lake County Teen Court program and was awarded the honor of becoming an Eagle Scout.

• Hillary Eckstein –Florida State University
Hillary is the daughter of Capt. Joseph Eckstein from the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and is currently a junior working on the completion of her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.  She is also pursuing a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army and is the recipient of a four-year national scholarship from the Army.

• Holly Eckstein – Florida Gulf Coast University
Holly is the daughter of Capt. Joseph Eckstein from the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and is completing her senior year with plans to enter the police academy after graduation. She joined the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Explorer’s Post and accumulated more than 200 hours of ride-a-longs with deputies.

• Jeremiah Roe – College of Central Florida
Jeremiah is the son of Deputy Sherriff Donna Roe, a school resource officer from the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. Jeremiah will be pursuing an associate’s degree in criminal justice. He was on the honor roll every quarter as a student at Bronson High School and served as president of the Youth Crime Watch for three years.

• Jason Swank – Florida Gulf Coast University
Jason is the son of Deputy Jerry Swank II, from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and will pursue a degree in criminal justice. He was a commanding officer in junior ROTC and participated in volunteer events such as beach clean-ups and elementary health screenings. His artwork has been featured at the Southwest Florida Craft Guild Exhibition in Bonita Springs.

• Kristin Vara – Florida State University
Kristin is the daughter of Cheryl Vara, special projects coordinator for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Kristin is currently a sophomore studying criminal justice. She is a second time recipient of this scholarship and continues to excel academically while being involved in intramural sports, becoming a resident assistant, and volunteering at the Florida Sheriffs Association. 

“FSA is pleased to continue its long-standing reputation of supporting the education of youth interested in law enforcement by awarding these scholarships,” said FSA Executive Director Steve Casey. “It is through these scholarships that FSA can help students develop into better educated and more productive members of society, helping to keep our state safe.”

Each student will receive $1,000 in scholarship dollars. Funds for these scholarships are donated from the generous members of the Florida Sheriffs Association. FSA also provides a $1,000 scholarship which is given to the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches and awarded to a worthy student who is choosing a law enforcement or criminal justice career track.