Hemingway Look-Alikes award $40,000 in scholarships to CFK students

KEY WEST, FL, July 28, 2026— Eighteen students from The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) were awarded scholarships during the celebrated, annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest. For 27 years, the “Papas” of the Hemingway Look-Alike Society (HLAS) have supported the dreams of hundreds of CFK students.

The festivities kicked off on Sloppy Joe’s stage with the Papas awarding $40,000 in scholarships to students attending CFK. HLAS Scholarship Chair and “Papa 2013” Stephen Terry congratulated the CFK students, each receiving $2,500 to apply toward tuition and fees.

The scholarship is open to degree-seeking students who demonstrate literary talent, are veterans, and/or are pursuing credentials in the fields of nursing, marine science, paramedic services, emergency medicine, law enforcement, or corrections. One scholarship bears the name of Kermit "Shine" Forbes, Hemingway's sparring partner, and has historically been presented to a CFK-bound graduate of Key West High School. This year, HLAS presented another Kermit “Shine” Forbes Scholarship to a graduate of CFK Academy.

In addition to awarding scholarships totaling over $275,000 to date, HLAS has built the largest endowment with the CFK Foundation, solidifying their legacy at CFK and the ability to fund future scholarships for many years to come.
CFK’s 2026 HLAS scholarship recipients include:

Richard Gordon
Lucas Thogode
Luis Lopez Quinones
Marie Christela Brevil
Leandro Macias Montes de Oca
Dardell Morin
Anadailin Dominguez
Sara Semran
Rachel Goodwin
Allana Hayden
Shathi Islam
Minouche Benoit
Samantha Lorenzo
Oumaima Juttie
Marie Annulysse
Heather Reinhardt

The HLAS Kermit “Shine” Forbes Scholarship Winners were:

Marco Maliberan, Key West High School
Jarrett Miller, CFK Academy

For more information about CFK and its scholarship opportunities, visit the College’s website at cfk.edu/paying-for-college.
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For more information about how to give to the CFK Foundation, contact Dr. Lana Gaspari, CFK Vice President of Advancement and CFK Foundation Executive Director, at [email protected] or 305-809-3214.