The NHSRA and THSRA recognize that rodeo must not hinder a student's schoolwork. The whole idea behind the first High School Rodeo was to encourage rural-oriented youth to stay in school and complete their studies. A beneficial planned side effect was the emphasis placed on providing scholarship assistance to these youth who, in many cases, had no where else to turn for college tuition money.

Education plays an important part in the total High School Rodeo program and in order to gain the confidence of schools around the country, the association requires high student academic standards. The NHSRA also requires members to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner, requires students to abide by a strict dress code when competing and requires contestants to "play by the rules". Leadership and responsibility are also stressed to the members. Because most of them have one or more animals to care for, they have already learned that their other interests may take a back seat to responsibility.

In addition to that sort of personal responsibility, is the opportunity for students to serve as state and national officers, as voting delegates to the National student elections and as event directors on the state and national level where they are required to work with adult advisors to insure proper conduct and fair competition in High School Rodeo.

The opportunity to win honors abound at both the state and national level. For those whose athletic talent carries them into the top ten nationally, there are even greater rewards including trophy saddles, gold and silver buckles, plaques and college scholarships. NHSFR senior qualifiers also have the opportunity to obtain scholarship assistance base on need, desire to attend college and their stated goals and objectives - all determined in front of a scholarship screening committee and not in the rodeo arena. Emphasis on education has been evident from the beginning as scholarships were a part of the awards given at the first finals in 1949.

The National High School Rodeo Foundation administers the growing scholarship program. At the National level alone, over $100,000 is granted to college-bound students each year. The amount of scholarship assistance made available within the individual state associations is not known, but many have earned the continued support of both individually-donated scholarships and corporate college assistance programs. With teh availability of scholarships through corporate sponsorship, the student members are able to improve their rodeo skills while furthering their academic goals.

The truly impressive aspect of the NHSRA is the quality of character and dedication of both the student members and the adult advisors. The long hours of practice, serious competition and the friendships developed as well as the examples set by dedicated adults and involved corporate sponsors, give direction and meaning for the future of one of the most impressive groups of teenagers in the world.