Established in 2003, the Rising Star Scholarship was developed to help catch those students who "fall through the cracks" in the current systems of financial aid-students whose income levels are too high to qualify for traditional financial aid, yet lack the funds to enroll in college.

Since its inception, The Rising Star Scholarship has opened the doors of higher education to over 1000 deserving young men and women - many of them first generation college students!

What makes this scholarship particularly exciting and unique?

The Rising Star Scholarship is a full tuition and fee scholarship for academic or vocational classes for the freshman and sophomore years. Recipients are also eligible to participate in a book loan program, whereby they can rent textbooks while enrolled at Texarkana College. Applicants must be current high school graduates, apply and be ineligible for a full PELL Grant, and have a family taxable gross income of $75,000 or less. Application deadline is August 1st following high school graduation. First year recipients must maintain full-time status and a minimum GPA of 2.0. Rising Star students who complete their freshman year with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 and full-time status are eligible for sophomore year funding.

The BullDog 100 Mini NASCAR Race was established in 2005 as the annual fundraiser for the Rising Star program. Two years in the making, our first two years have been huge successes, with an amazing 64 race teams, over 500 participants, close to 6000 spectators, and more than $80,000 raised for scholarships!

The BullDog 100 brings together teams from local, area and regional businesses, industries, community leaders and various civic groups to race miniature NASCAR-style cars through a twisting, turning 1/2 mile course, running through the heart of the Texarkana College campus. Funds raised from this event will go 100% to the College's Rising Star Scholarship Fund. The event offers live music, scrumptious festival-type foods, a huge "Kids' Pit" with games, contests, and inflatable playgrounds, and of course, plenty of mini NASCAR racing action!

The 2008 BullDog 100 will be even bigger, better and more exciting than ever with returning champions, new vendors, and a weekend of fun activities for the whole family. But we know why you're really coming-to see who wins the coveted Checkered Flag!

Seafair is celebrating 59 years of unlimited hydroplane racing on Lake Washington and has been part of many of the best hydroplane races in history. Unlimited hydroplane are the fastest race boats in the world and can travel at speeds of 200 mph on a race course only 2.5 miles in length! The KeyBank Air Show is one of the top Air Shows in the country with a beautiful venue over Lake Washington. In addition to hydroplane racing and air show entertainment, Seafair fans will find plenty of landside entertainment including numerous food and vendor booths, live music and kids' activities that will make the Chevrolet Cup at Seafair weekend fun for the entire family!

More than 12,000 airplanes fly in for this Experimental Aircraft Association event. It's a forum where home-builts, war birds, antiques, classics, ultra lights, light planes, aerobatics and all other aircraft can be seen in one place and appreciated for the significant role they play in our everyday lives. There is something here for every age and interest - young and old, pilot and non-pilot alike.

100 Years of Flight is the theme, highlighting aerial achievement by man and machine throughout the first century of flight.There are daily afternoon air shows, more than 500 forums, as well as some 700 exhibitors, special museum, children's and evening programs.

ChristFest is a community festival in its fourth year and its home of "Mud Madness" an ATV Mud Race, the mud race is a major draw and everyone looks forward to it all year! We have major sponsors like HiLifter and Gorilla Axle, the races have the categories and start at 1:00 PM. The Kings Parade is another main draw to the festival. There is a best float competition and the kids love to catch the candy and trinkets that each float entrant throws, the parade starts at 10 AM at the elementary school and ends at Crossroads New Life Tabernacle where all the activities take place. The parade route is approximately 5 miles long.

We also have an awesome 3D Archery Contest with prizes given in several categories; the contest is hosted by Harmony Church on festival grounds. There is also awesome food, with the best gumbo around, contest, door prizes, and lots of fun activities for the kids. We have jumpers, games, face painting, pony rides and more. The festivities begin at 8:00 AM with coffee, pancakes and sausage biscuits for breakfast and end in the evening with a tremendous fireworks show. Admittance is Free.