On Aug. 26, more than 200 students at William M. Raines High School were the first to learn of the A.J. Laguerre Jr. Endowed Scholarship, a full scholarship at Florida State College at Jacksonville.
Established by the PGA Tour and The Players Championship, the scholarship honors the memory of the 2023 Raines graduate who planned to enroll at FSCJ and major in cybersecurity.
Laguerre was one of three people murdered Aug. 26, 2023, at the Dollar General store on Kings Road in Northwest Jacksonville.
“As members of this community, we strive to ensure that the contributions our tournament and the PGA Tour make are meaningful and have a lasting impact. We are honored to play a small part in ensuring A.J.’s legacy reflects and supports the dreams of future FSCJ students with similar goals,” Lee Smith, executive director of The Players, said in a news release.
Open to high school graduates seeking enrollment at FSCJ to pursue a career in cybersecurity, IT and related areas, the scholarship commemorates Laguerre’s love of video games and streaming which fueled his passion and interest in technology. Preference will be given to students who reside in Health Zone 1 (32202, 32204, 32206, 32208, 32209 and 32254 ZIP Codes).
“Seeing our graduate honored at his alma mater with the announcement of the A.J. Laguerre Jr. Endowed Scholarship is truly heartwarming,” said Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Christopher Bernier in the release. “I am thankful to The PGA Tour, The Players and FSCJ for ensuring that A.J.’s legacy will continue to be one of hope in this community.”
During the announcement, FSCJ President John Avendano posthumously awarded Laguerre with an honorary associate in science degree in cybersecurity. Along with a custom jersey, the degree was presented to family members in attendance.
“We are proud to partner with the PGA Tour and The Players to honor A.J.’s dream and aspirations. Partnership is what brings us together today. It’s people, and the people in organizations, with ideas and hearts for those who need a little extra support to make their dreams a reality,” Avendano said.
Students can visit fscj.edu/scholarships to apply.