Ricardo (Ric) Correa grew up in the Milwaukee/Menominee Falls area of Wisconsin. He worked as a waiter most of his adult life, but was a gifted artist, avid reader, and a very creative home interior designer. At the age of seventeen, a few weeks before graduating from high school, he left home because his family found out that he was gay. Despite this early set-back in his life, he went on to  reconcile with his family and was very close to them upon his death in 2004. He was a business owner (part owner of Grand Avenue Pub in 1980's), a loving partner for fifteen years, and a leader in the gay community. 

Mission Statement:

This scholarship was set up to give a future gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, or transgender public high school senior a chance to become a future leader in the gay community!  

There are two separate scholarships that will be given out each year. The $1,000 Wisconsin State Scholarship will be awarded in the spring. Candidates who apply for the state scholarship will automatically be enrolled in the National Scholarship. The $2,000 National Scholarship will be awarded at the NEA-RA around the 4th of July! The top twenty candidates will be picked by a committee made up of foundation board members in May. At the NEA Convention in July, a committee of NEA members (see selection committee in By-laws) will pick the winner(s).

Peter J. Konrath-foundation president and NEA member