Pedro Balderas, left, and Thomas Young take a closer look at house plan drawings in their Drafting and Design class. The two were recipients of the Meridian Council of Garden Clubs scholarships.

    Meridian Community College Drafting and Design Program sophomores Pedro Balderas, 19, of Collinsville, and Thomas Young, 22, of Noxapater, were tapped as the Meridian Council of Garden Clubs scholarship recipients.

      The Meridian Council of Garden Clubs scholarships were established in 2004 and provide two, full-tuition scholarships.  These scholarships have been designated for students in the Construction Trades and Drafting and Design Technology Programs.

     Balderas and Young, both academic honor students, each received full-tuition scholarships – $2,100 – for their study this academic year; they plan to receive their associate of applied science degrees in May.

     Both noted they wanted to study drafting and design because of family ties.     “My dad works in the steel business, so I was always around it,” said Young.     Balderas said his father works in the construction arena and Balderas himself has an eye for architecture.

     “There’s a lot we can do in the industry … really anything,” Young added.

     When they learned from their instructor, Stuart Brown, Drafting and Design Program instructor and coordinator, about the awards, both said they were “shocked. “

     “Thankful really,” Young said.

    Balderas added, “Mr. Brown really made my day.”