SSSF Congratulates Browning Scholarship Winner

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is pleased to congratulate 17-year old Sean Laurent of Arnold, Missouri, for winning the Browning Scholarship during the 2016 Scholastic Clay Target Program’s (SCTP) National team Championships. A junior at Seckman High School, Laurent is one of the 43-member Team Henges, a youth shooting group affiliated with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Laurent also posted a personal best of 199 of a possible 200 targets in singles from the 16-yard line for his national win. "The feeling is unbelievable," Laurent said.  "To win at Nationals and also receive such a large scholarship was something that I never could have imagined.  I can't thank Browning and their supporters enough." Laurent said he hasn't decided which college he'll be attending, but he plans to study engineering in the fall of 2017, and the scholarship will be put toward his tuition to that school "I hope to continue shooting in college, and I am specifically looking at schools that have a shotgun program." He said he has his father to thank for his love of shooting. "I have been shooting competition trap for five years," he said. "My dad introduced me to shooting nine years ago.  I've shot a Browning since I first started shooting and have been competing with my Browning 725 Trap for the past three years." Laurent is currently on the Student Council and is a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honors Program at his high school. He's also a member of his high school archery team. Rafe Nielsen, communications manager at Browining, said Browning is a proud supporter of the SCTP and is honored to present this scholarship. "The future of shooting is squarely on the shoulders of the next generation and the SCTP does a great job of providing opportunities for kids to get out there and learn the sport," Nielsen said.  "We feel a huge responsible to do our part to help grow and strengthen the youth shooting programs around the country. The Browning customer is the most loyal in the business. We know our greatest asset is the grassroots support from these great customers. This scholarship is a small way to thank those that have bought, used, loved, and have been successful with our products. We wanted to provide an opportunity to reward those loyal customers." The 2016 Nationals were held July 9-16 at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio. The event drew 2,369 competitors from 34 states to participate in trap, skeet and sporting clays through SCTP, and action rifle and action pistol events through SASP.