For the Second Year, Five Frisco ISD Seniors Receive Fore Frisco Scholarships

FRISCO, TX (May 28, 2026) – This week, Omni Hotels & Resorts, alongside the Northern Texas PGA (NTPGA), hosted a celebratory breakfast to honor five Frisco ISD seniors who received a Fore Frisco scholarship at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa. The 2026 Fore Frisco scholarship recipients are Amara Okafor, Kayla Rochez, Rajdeep Singh, Lauryn Spraggs and Nikki Zahed.

Now in its second year, Fore Frisco is a need-based scholarship program that is a joint effort between the NTPGA Foundation and Omni Hotels and Resorts aimed at helping local students by considering their academic performance, extracurricular activities, and community involvement. The two participating Frisco ISD high schools in this program are currently Panther Creek and Lone Star High School. More than 30 students from both schools participated in a five-week program hosted at The Ronny Golf Park and learned the fundamentals of golf at The Ronny Golf Park. In addition to learning golf skills, students gained insight into career opportunities in hospitality at Omni Hotels & Resorts as well as careers in golf. Upon completion of the program, eligible students could apply for a scholarship.

Fore Frisco embodies Omni Hotels & Resorts ‘Heart for All’ commitment to championing our communities in meaningful, lasting ways. At Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa, we are proud to support a program that not only provides financial assistance but also opens doors for local Frisco ISD students through mentorship and exposure to careers in golf and hospitality. Watching these students gain confidence and envision their futures is incredibly powerful, and we are excited to see Fore Frisco continue to grow its impact across Frisco,” said Jeff Smith, Vice President & Area Managing Director, Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa.

Furthermore, each recipient will be paired with a mentor from the leadership team at Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa to help guide them throughout their college years.

An exciting and impressive addition for year two of this program, the University of North Texas joined as a partner to offer one full-ride scholarship to a Fore Frisco participant who had interest in attending UNT. The winner was Kayla Rochez.

"We are proud to partner with Fore Frisco to create opportunities for exceptional students to unlock their full potential. Program participants at UNT are highly successful. We are honored to award a full scholarship to Kayla, who represents the very best of what this partnership makes possible,” said Harrison Smith, Ph.D., President of The University of North Texas.

“Year two of the Fore Frisco program was a great success, and the addition of UNT as a partner and these five students are a testament to that,” said Mark Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Texas PGA. “Amara, Kayla, Rajdeep, Lauryn and Nikki represent what this program is all about, and I know that they are going to impress us as they begin their college journeys. We have great support from both flagship high schools, their staff and the Omni team. We feel very fortunate to have the ability to keep building the Fore Frisco program.”

More about the 2026 Fore Frisco scholarship recipients:

Fore Frisco $20,000 Scholarships provided by Omni Hotels & Resorts:

Amara Okafor - Amara is a graduate of Lone Star High School and is heading to the University of Texas at Dallas to study Business Administration. While visiting Nigeria with her family last year, Amara volunteered with underprivileged children in the community and discovered an interest in law as she witnessed the impact that legal professionals can have on the lives of others. Amara loves spending time with her family and is looking forward to serving as a summer camp counselor before starting classes in the fall. 

Rajdeep Singh - Rajdeep is a graduate of Panther Creek High School and plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin in the fall. Inspired by the work ethic of his parents, Rajdeep has been involved in a variety of programs, such as the Frisco Mayor's Youth Council, Subiendo Academy with the University of Texas McCombs School of Business, and Student Ambassadors. Rajdeep plans to study Business to help others have access to financial education. In his free time, Rajdeep enjoys fishing and teaching Bhangra dance to younger children.

Lauryn Spraggs - Lauryn is a graduate of Panther Creek High School and will be attending Xavier University of Louisiana in the fall. While at Panther Creek, Lauryn was a Student Ambassador, an active member of the Swim and Dive team, and involved in the art program. Lauryn plans to study Biology and pursue medical school to dive into a career in reconstructive surgery. When asked about her takeaways from Fore Frisco, Lauryn said, "I learned more than I ever expected - about golf, business, and even myself."

Nikki Zahedi- Nikki is a graduate of Lone Star High School and will attend the University of North Texas in the fall to study Psychology. While at Lone Star, Nikki was a part of the yearbook team, served as the Team Manager for the Rangerettes Drill Team, and was also a member of the National Honor Society. Nikki is passionate about becoming a child psychologist in hopes to make a positive impact on children's and families' lives in the same way others made an impact on her growing up. 

UNT Full Ride Scholarship Recipient:

Kayla Rochez - Kayla is a graduate of Panther Creek High School and will be attending the University of North Texas in Denton in the fall. The middle child of five, Kayla, has a strong support system and is inspired by her older siblings to pursue higher education. By participating in the school's track team, Kayla grew in her discipline and was selected as a team captain as a result of her work ethic. Kayla is pursuing a degree in Business with the hopes of becoming an accountant. 

About the Northern Texas PGA Foundation

Founded in 1983, the nationally acclaimed Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization, was rebranded in 2019 as the Northern Texas PGA Foundation. The Northern Texas PGA Foundation focuses on five pillars: junior golf, college scholarships, inclusion, internships and military & veterans. The mission of the Northern Texas PGA Foundation is to positively impact lives and communities through golf.

About Omni Hotels & Resorts

Omni Hotels & Resorts creates genuine, authentic guest experiences at over 50 distinct hotels and resorts in the most popular leisure and business destinations across the United States, as well as in Canada. With 28 iconic golf courses, including multiple short courses, and 25 award-winning spas across the country, every Omni welcomes you to experience the true spirit of each destination. Reflected through local color, personalized service, unique wellness options, signature restaurants and creative culinary offerings, Omni leaves a lasting impression with every guest and a heightened level of recognition and rewards delivered through its Select Guest® loyalty program. Omni is committed to reducing hunger and is on a mission through its Say Goodnight to Hunger initiative to provide millions of meals each year for food banks to feed children, families, and seniors in communities in which it operates. Through its partnership with Shared Hope International, Omni is dedicated to the education and training of its associates to help combat human trafficking. Omni Hotels & Resorts is the official hotel of the PGA TOUR® and PGA of America. For information or to book accommodations, visit omnihotels.com or call 1-800-The-Omni.

About The University of North Texas

The University of North Texas is a Carnegie R1 public research university and the largest university in Dallas-Fort Worth — one of the most dynamic regions in the world. Through its campuses in Denton and Frisco, Texas, UNT serves nearly 44,000 students with 242 degree programs and awarded more than 13,000 degrees last year. UNT proudly serves in the vanguard of leading American universities willing to measure success by how well we educate and support every qualified student who commits to learning with us. We deliver outcomes that matter to students, families, employers, and the nation, as a public university committed to create enduring value for the public good.