Last week, I had the amazing privilege to attend the Houston Area Awards for the 50 recipients of the #FordDrivingDreams scholarships. This collection of young men and women, all from the greater Houston area, have demonstrated hard work and determination and offer a very bright vision for the future.The dinner took place at the Space Center Houston which seems ideal as we jettison these young people into the next stage of their lives. It was a truly local event as half of the $100,000 is scholarships (yes, $100,000!) was contributed by local dealerships committed to contributing to education. The national Ford Fund matched dollar for dollar enabling the Houston #FordDrivingDreams to give $2000 to each of its 50 winners. That is a scholarship that make a difference!I was able to talk personally with Larry Gach, a local dealer and speaker at the event. He shared with me that these scholarships are only part of Ford's and its local dealers' educational donations. They also donate books and support many FAA events. All of this is part of a larger commitment to community. The point was emphasized multiple times throughout the evening that investing in these young people is investing in our future. I could not agree more!Another special part of the evening was the keynote speaker - Alex Montoya. He is a triple amputee who brings humor and heart to his stories of perseverance and determination. I am sure that the students came away as inspired as I to believe in themselves and never listening to "no". A big thank you to him for sharing his story and heart.But at the end of the day (or night, in this case), it's about these amazing kids. Congratulations to each and every one of them. Their future is so bright, I have to wear shades. So with no further ado, I present you... 

The 2017 #FordDrivingDreams Class