Barry receives 2016 Bradley Stokes Scholarship Award
This year’s Bradley Stokes Scholarship Award winner has been named – John Barry Jr. of Lehigh Acres. Rebecca Stokes presented the award to the future firefighter last week.
The Bradley Stokes Scholarship fund was set up by Rebecca, Bradley Stokes’ mother, after her son died in a motorcycle accident May 18, 2012.
“I established this fund because I wanted my son’s passion of becoming a firefighter to live on through others who share the same desire,” Stokes said.
In the scholarship application letter, Barry wrote: “My Dad is a firefighter, as well as two of my uncles. I have watched my Dad leave every third day and miss many family functions. He loves his job though, he talks about the constant work firefighters do. A class I had made us research a job I thought I might want to do. I researched a Firefighter. After, I knew I wanted to become a Firefighter. I want to help people, I want to have a constant challenge, and I want to push myself physically.”
Barry is a graduate of Riverdale High School, class of 2016).
“I knew I did not want to sit behind a desk,” he said. “My parents and I went to college night downtown during my senior year. As we walked around and I spoke to different colleges, I knew even more a traditional college was not for me.”
Barry has taken a pro-active approach. During his senior year he entered and starting attending EMT school at night.
“I have been studying extremely hard so when I start the fire academy I can have my EMT certification complete,” Barry said.
Barry has been accepted at the Fort Myers Fire Academy and has plans to enroll in the paramedic program at Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers. He also hopes to have a fire science degree in the future.