Ashley Parra Scholarship Award is a $500 scholarship to participate in a Close Up program.

Eligibility: Students who wish to apply must be in high school and may live in any state. Applications are due no later than April 12th, 2024 and will be accepted on a rolling basis. Students will be notified by April 26th, 2024 if they received the scholarship.

About Ashley: In 2003, Ashley Parra was a sophomore at the Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet High School (Dallas, TX) when she first participated in Close Up. The experience was so significant that she participated again in 2004, her junior year. The teacher leading those trips – Dave Lewis – remembers Ashley as a vibrant, intellectually curious, and highly motivated student. In 2008, Ashley was in the midst of taking classes at Southern Methodist University and had recently enrolled at the University of North Texas when she lost her life in a terrible car accident. This scholarship was founded in Ashley’s memory by her former teachers as a way of sharing Ashley’s love of travel and learning despite the tragedy of her sudden death. Mr. Lewis established this fund and also helps select a worthy student each year.

Please complete the application details below. Once scholarships have been awarded, students will receive notification from the Close Up Foundation. If you have any questions, contact us at support@closeup.org.