Each year in June, the Community Memorial Hospital Auxiliary honors its graduating Junior Volunteers as they finish their high school careers and prepare for their futures. On June 10, 2019, Auxiliary members, hospital leaders and proud parents gathered to honor two special Junior Volunteers with scholarships for their continued education.

Alyssa Mendoza was awarded the Audrey Woodburn Scholarship for $1,500. Alyssa became a Junior Volunteer in June 2016, and served in the CMH Gift Shop and Maternal Child Health department. Over the last three years, Alyssa accumulated over 550 hours of service to the hospital. Her commitment to the patients and community earned her second place for Community Service at Foothill Technology High School. Alyssa plans to continue her education at Ventura College and major in Nursing Science.

Trinity Durborow received the Maria Cavallo Scholarship for $3,000. Trinity has been a Junior Volunteer in the CMH Gift Shop since June 2017 and has given over 315 hours. Her academic excellence is evident with an exceptional 4.57 grade point average. While a student at Foothill Technology High School, Maria was co-founder and secretary of "WE," a student organization dedicated to organizing fundraisers and generating community support. She also worked with at-risk middle school students on a garden project. Trinity received the "Most Achieved Senior" award and graduated summa cum laude. She plans to attend the University of California, Berkley, and major in Public Health with an emphasis on global and reproductive health.

Founded on a tradition of service, the CMH Auxiliary augments CMH's programs and services. Auxiliary members share a common interest in helping others and providing comfort and assistance to patients and their families. Junior Volunteers are between the ages of 14 and 18.

Visit https://www.cmhshealth.org/about/cmh-auxiliary/ to learn more about becoming a Junior Volunteer or an Auxiliary member.

Get Citizensjournal.us Headlines free SUBSCRIPTION. Keep us publishing - DONATE

Sean has Down syndrome and will start in a special two-year college program at Bethel this fall. On Thursday, he received some heartwarming help with his future.

"Oh shoot, mom's here,everybody is here.. oh shoot," is how Sieleni describes his latest surprise.

Just two months before he is set to head off to college at Bethel, this surprise was a big one.

"We just want to let you know you are going to get $10,000 to go to Bethel this fall, said the announcement via Skype.

Sieleni beat out hundreds of others to receive money from Ruby's Rainbow, a national organization that supports adults with Down syndrome. It was started by a mom in honor of her young daughter, Ruby, after she noticed there was a lot of help for young people, but not much for adults with Down syndrome.

"Learning about people with Down syndrome who are doing all these amazing things brings joy and hope into my heart," Liz Plachta told Sieleni, with 8-year-old Ruby sitting on her lap.

RELATED: Wyoming Police Department to Pilot 'Growth Through Opportunity' Program

The money comes in collaboration with Warriors for Walt, created by the parents of their little boy, Walt, born with Down syndrome, who didn't survive his first year.

"We just hope you take this money and do what Walt would do and make the most of your freshman year, we are just so proud of you," said Liz Morris, Walt's mom.

"I'm happy, I'm just happy I got this, thank you," replied Sieleni.

With family and friends there to take in the announcement with him, it was an emotional moment.

"We're so proud of you, thanks.. oh, sorry you're making him cry now sorry," said his mom Leslie Sieleni.

Leslie said Sean's schooling will cost just as much as any other students at Bethel, yet scholarships for students with special needs are few and far between.

"We pay just like any other student, which is incredibly expensive, the downfall is there are not a lot of scholarships out there for our kids," she shared.

It's something she would like to see grow, to help students like Sean who have hopes and dreams of attending college, just like their peers.

Sean will head to school in just a couple months, and his mom said they have already been out buying some of those necessary supplies for college living.

Gov. Tom Wolf surprised no one this week when he vetoed a sorely needed expansion of Pennsylvania's scholarship program, the Educational Improvement Tax Credit. But he disappointed thousands.

While the governor has repeatedly voiced support for freeing students from zip code-assigned schools that aren't meeting their needs, he disparaged this scholarship program and questioned its legitimacy. Thankfully, lawmakers are poised to fix Wolf's mistake.

Tax credit scholarships help primarily low-income families afford a better education in a private school. The scholarships are funded by private donations from community-minded businesses and individuals. In return, donors receive a state tax credit of 75 or 90 percent of their donation.

About 50,000 scholarships were awarded last year. But caps on available tax credits mean nearly as many scholarships are denied as are approved. Demand far outstrips supply, leaving tens of thousands of students seeking an escape hatch from underperforming schools out in the cold.

Wolf had a chance to open the floodgates to educational opportunity. Instead, he barred the door.

The governor knows private schools provide a great education and can set students on a pathway to success. After all, he graduated from one - The Hill School, which today charges nearly $60,000 in tuition.

And the governor knows tax credit scholarships promote civic engagement while defraying the cost of private school tuition. The governor's own company, the Wolf Organization, has utilized the program. Between 2001 and 2005, Wolf's business received $54,000 in tax credits for sponsoring $60,000 in EITC scholarships, according to an open records request by the Jewish Exponent.

In short, Wolf and his business are examples of the success the EITC program hopes to achieve. Don't others deserve the same opportunities?

Take Harrisburg parent Thalia McClenton, for example. Her son's district school, Rowland Academy, was worse than sub-par - it was dangerous. But thanks to a tax credit scholarship, he wasn't stuck in that environment.

Since her son started at Harrisburg Catholic last year, "His whole attitude has changed," Thalia says. "Now he wants to be a pediatrician. I just thank God that He opened the door so my kids could have a quality education."

Thalia's gratitude comes through loud and clear. But what about the tens of thousands of mothers whose hopes rested on scholarship applications that were turned down?

Schools like Logos Academy in Wolf's hometown of York specifically cater to the low-income families desperate for opportunity. Logos, a private school, reserves two-thirds of seats for students whose household incomes average just $25,000.

Aaron Anderson, Logos CEO and head of school explains: "The scholarships provided by EITC are vital to what we do. Without this program, we would not be able to serve these kids."

Without Logos, many of the students they serve would have little choice but to attend York City School District, often ranked among the worst-performing districts in the state.

Shouldn't our goal be to help more schools replicate Logos' success and serve even more students in need?

But opponents, like Wolf, claim tax credit scholarships take funding away from public schools. The truth is, the EITC and a smaller companion program called the Opportunity Scholarships Tax Credit have saved public schools between $3 and $5 billion since 2002, according to a new EdChoice analysis. These programs educate students at a fraction of the cost of public schools, allowing school districts to reduce class sizes and spend more money per student.

Even without the cost savings, though, rescuing students by expanding the EITC would still be worth it.

While Wolf's veto of tax credit scholarship expansion bill HB 800 was a setback, the fight for students' futures isn't over. As state budget negotiations heat up, legislative leaders like Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman(R-Centre County) and House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster County) can stand up for students and demand a dramatic increase for tax credit scholarship programs.

High quality, private education shouldn't be limited to the wealthy or the well-connected. It's time for lawmakers to fix the governor's mistake and open the door to opportunity for every child who comes knocking.

The Estevan Arts Council provided a helping hand to talented young artists in the area by presenting scholarships on Thursday afternoon at its craft room.

A total of 27 scholarships, worth $100 each, were handed out. They will cover a portion of the costs for students to attend the camps, allowing them to pursue their passions and further their skills in the summer.

The recipients, and the camps they will attend, are as follows:

Elsie Alexander and Brielle Wakely will attend the Dance Scene 2019 camp.

Kristen Carlson, Laura Christensen, Madeline Christensen, William Duncan, Harrison Froese, Jacob Pyra, Dawson Rensby, Rafe Rensby, Laura Swirski, Kiera Tyler, Kylie Tyler and Michaela Zatko will attend the Kenosee Lake Band Camp.

Kaylee Carlson, Abigail Lachambre Renkas, Brayden Lachambre Renkas, Jack Lachambre Renkas and Megan Zemlak will attend the International Music Camp.

Barrett Fleck, Brianna Fleck, Kiera Shauf and Adeon Sullivan will attend the Souris Valley Theatre camp.

Shauf will also attend the Estevan Recreational Dance Club's camp. Sienna Kuntz also received a scholarship for the dance club's camp.

Marley Nashiem, Ekko Sanguin, Payton Sernick and Wakely will go to the Ballet Extravaganza camp.

© Copyright Estevan Mercury

LEXINGTON - If there was one thing that Heather Stiles and her family learned after the death of her son, David, on Nov. 4, 2017, it is that the world is filled with love.

"We have gone through a lot since then, but we are not alone," she said. "We have friends and family that have supported us and there is just this strong feeling of love we feel."

A 2017 graduate of Tri-Valley High School in Downs, David was a member of the 2015 Class 2A state championship football team and was attending Heartland Community College. He worked at his family-owned business, Adrian's Shoes and Repair/Red Wing Shoes Store in Bloomington.

Just after midnight on Nov. 4, 2017, David was driving his truck near Downs. He lost control, and the truck hit a tree, killing him instantly. A passenger was injured, but survived.

Among the recipients was Natalie Stricklan, a Tri-Valley graduate, who is studying nursing at Heartland Community College in Bloomington. The honor was special to her because of her close friendship with David, said her mother, Tammy.

"We didn't have a clue that Natalie was going to win this scholarship, but it means everything to us that she did," Tammy said. "We are all very honored and I know how special this is to Natalie. She really loved David because he was just a great person and very genuine and down-to-earth."

Other scholarship winners included Goble Cooper of Tri-Valley, Wade Knobloch of Gridley, Abigail Harrison of Bloomington, and Carter Schmidt of Germantown, Wis.

The scholarship fund is now a nonprofit charity, Stiles said, which will help pave the way to grow the fund each year.

"We would really like to build this up because we know we are making a difference in the lives of the students now, but we would really like to make a bigger impact down the road," she added.

A student must complete two semesters of either vocational or agriculture curriculum in order to be eligible for the scholarship, which is awarded based on spirit, is teacher-nominated and project-driven. Students submit photos of a project they have completed during one of those semesters, such as restoring a first-generation Dodge truck, as Andrew Williams did last year, as the first scholarship winner.

"Our scholarships are meant to inspire young adults to accomplish their goals by furthering their education, to help them grow as individuals, and to lead with a helping hand and a loving smile," Stiles said.

"David embodied kindness, selflessness and the offering of a helping hand to anyone," she added. "He had the ability to create inspiration, a smile and camaraderie amongst all that knew him."

The festival is named "Ya' Bud," a favorite saying of David's. Last year's inaugural festival featured rising country star Craig Campbell.

All proceeds from the festival will go toward the David D. Stiles Scholarship Fund and the festival will feature four country music acts including Kenna Elpers, The Natu Band, Johnny McGuire and the headliner, Maddie and Tae.

More than 1,500 people are expected to attend the festival, which begins at 5 p.m. Saturday.

A website devoted to the festival and in memory of David can be found at https://yabud.club.

Contact Kevin Barlow at (309) 820-3238. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_barlow

The food was good. So was the cause.

Stands the reason hundreds of people anxiously flocked to get into the Pavilion Center last Saturday.

While folks enjoyed the variety of dishes, they also contributed to the Delta Kappa Omega scholarship drive for another year. The first Gentlemen's Sampler was held 15 years ago.

It has since become one of the Delta Kappa Omega biggest fund-raiser.

"The funds that were raised at the event will contribute to scholarships for high school and collegiate students, assisting with programs with the youth services," said Tiffany A. Randolph, president of the organization.

It wasn't clear how much Saturday's event raised, although the organization reported that donors have given $11,850 so far this year.

A high-profile cast of servers, including Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil and former state representative Alan Williams were among the servers. They dished out Southern dishes, but supporters had a vast variety of cuisines from around the world to choose from.

All to the backdrop of music that included a variety of old-school and today's music. Children even mingled with the adults.

While the event was held at the Pavilion for the first time, it was Shauntae Deas'Banks' fifth time supporting the fund-raiser.

She found the strawberry parfait especially appealing.

"The strawberries tasted very fresh and the cake was mouthwatering every time you took a bite," she said.

Dishes were catered by chefs who had to submit an application with their dish.

Some presented the traditional.

"I signed up to do shrimp and grits initially but that was too common. So, I decided to bring the collard green egg rolls to the event instead," said chief Tashi Williams. "Nobody could get enough of my dish and it was all gone before the event was over."

Organizers said it took six months of planning to pull of the fund-raiser.It seemingly was worthwhile, though.

"We are super excited and happy that the community came together to buy tickets for this event that we are hosting this year," said chair Tammy Hamlet, who added that plans are already in the works for the next sampler on June 27 next year."Save the date and we will return here again to make it bigger and better."

BOWIE, Md., June 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Old Line Bank, the leading community bank in Maryland celebrating 30 years in business, has awarded scholarships to four local high school seniors. Damascus High School seniors Faith Busche and James Petrolle were named recipients of the Larry L. Moxley Memorial Scholarship; and Damascus High School senior Jenna Marella and Oakdale High School senior Aiden Peduzzi were named recipients of the Old Line Bank Business Scholarship.

Winners were selected based on a combination of factors, including GPA, extracurricular activities, community involvement, service work, recommendations, and their responses to the application questions. All four recipients will attend college in the fall and plan to study business and finance. The scholarships range from $1,000 - $5,000.

"Not only are these young people excellent students, they are stewards of their community as well," said James W. Cornelsen, CEO, Old Line Bank. "Old Line Bank is so proud to be able to celebrate and recognize their achievements and support them in this next stage of life in their college careers."

Busche and Petrolle are both active members of the community. In addition to serving as SGA president and captain of the varsity lacrosse team, Busche was also named to the National Honor Society, National Math Honor Society and National Science Honor Society. Petrolle has been an honors student throughout his high school career and is a member of the National Honor Society and High School Distinguished Scholars. He is also a captain and four-year starting player of the varsity lacrosse team and has earned numerous awards recognizing his dedication and skill at the sport.

Marella is a member of the National Honor Society and the Foreign Language Honor Society. She is passionate about the Best Buddies program and currently serves as its president at Damascus High School. Peduzzi has overcome personal obstacles to achieve her goals. After suffering an injury that ended her basketball season, she refocused her ambitions and love of the sport through charity work, starting a basketball tournament to support the Frederick YMCA.

Established in 1996 and 1999 respectively, the Old Line Bank Business Scholarship and Larry L. Moxley Memorial Scholarship, are awarded to deserving high school seniors who are majoring in business and planning on obtaining a two- or four-year degree. In total, Old Line Bank's scholarships have contributed more than $130k towards the education of 45 students over the past 20-plus years.

Old Line Bancshares (NASDAQ: OLBK) is the parent company of Old Line Bank (www.oldlinebank.com), a Maryland chartered commercial bank headquartered in Bowie, Md., approximately 10 miles east of Andrews Air Force Base and 20 miles east of Washington, D.C. Old Line Bank has more than 35 branches located in its primary market area of suburban Maryland (Washington, D.C. suburbs, Southern Maryland and Baltimore suburbs) counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's and St. Mary's. It also targets customers throughout the greater Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas.

For more information or to schedule an interview with an Old Line Bank representative, please contact Roger Mecca, roger@vitaminisgood.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/aaaa79d1-1dc5-4ad3-86f1-8196c8455dd2

Aspiring Windsor pianist Tiger King Yang has scaled his way into Juilliard's prestigious piano program.

Yang is one of 25 undergraduates accepted to the bachelor of music in piano performance program at The Juilliard School, a renowned performing arts conservatory in New York City.

So far, 18-year-old Yang is the only Canadian student accepted to the four-year program for the 2019-2020 school year.

"I feel extremely pleased," said Yang, who is graduating from Vincent Massey Secondary School later this month. "It's an honour that they're able to recognize my talent."

This was Yang's first time applying to Juilliard, which had a 6.2 per cent acceptance rate in 2016-2017. The young pianist also received an entrance scholarship of $22,000 per year.

Yang, who was born in Australia, was a baby when his family moved to Windsor. At the age of five, he started playing piano for fun with his mom. When he was seven years old, he began to take the instrument and his talent more seriously.

I would love to give concerts here in the future

Gregory Butler and Philip Adamson, who have both taught music at the University of Windsor, trained Yang early in his music career. In the months leading up to his audition, Yang was coached by Logan Skelton, a piano professor from the University of Michigan.

Yang said Skelton helped him grow significantly as a pianist.

Despite all of his training, Yang said the application process was nothing short of intense. He first sent in his grades and a sample of his piano playing. He was then accepted for an in-person audition, written test and an interview.

For the audition, Yang said he had to memorize an hour's worth of songs to perform in front of eight judges - though they usually come to a verdict about 15 minutes into the performance. Each judge had to grade him out of 10, and he required an eight or above to even be considered.

Now that he's been accepted, Yang is looking forward to his big move to New York City at the end of August.

"I think it is going to be a very enjoyably experience," he said. "In places like Carnegie Hall, I can go see shows all the time ... I think I'm going to have a great time there."

No matter what the future holds, Yang said he knows he'll come back to his hometown.

"I would love to perform all around the world, but Windsor will always have a special place in my heart," he said. "I would love to give concerts here in the future."

International Olympic Committee (IOC) have announced the 37 refugee athlete scholarship holders who will attempt to be part of the organisation's Refugee Olympic Team at Tokyo 2020.

The announcement at the conclusion of the IOC Executive Board meeting coincided with World Refugee Day.

The athletes compete in eight sports and consist of 10 of the members who formed the inaugural team at Rio 2016.

"On World Refugee Day, we celebrate the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees," said Thomas Bach, IOC President.

"With the announcement of the list of refugee scholarship holders, we want to show that refugees are an enrichment to sport and to society.

"All athletes announced today are aiming to be part of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team at Tokyo 2020.

"This team is the continuation of a human journey that started with the first IOC Refugee Olympic Team at Rio 2016.

"The team will send a signal of hope to all the refugees around the world and will be a reminder to everybody of the magnitude of the refugee crisis."

Nearly half of the scholarship holders originally came from South Sudan, but have been forced to leave the country.

Simon Ayong Mauris, Clementina Ihure Rilando, John Lokibe Taban, Rose Ihisa Uwaro, Chajen Dang Yien, Ubaa Dinta Achoto, Dominic Lokolong Atiol and Josephine Tain Augustinho are among the 18 athletes to have come from the nation.

Yiech Pur Biel, Ukuk Utho'o bul, James Nyang Chiengjiek, Duol Charles Elijah, Joseph Elia Ernesto, Anjelina Nadai Lohalith, Simon Lodai Lohuju, Rose Nathike Lokonyen, Paulo Amotun Lokoro, Lydia Philip Mamun also originally came from South Sudan.

The list includes Afghanistan's Farid Walizadeh, Abdullah Sediqi and Asif Sultani, Cameroon's Cyrille Fagat Tchatchet II, Eritrea's Tekleweyni Malake, Ethiopia's Yonas Kinde and Jamal Abdoul-Magid from Sudan.

Dorian Keletela, Yolande Mabika, Popole Misenga and Gaston Nsazumukiza all originally came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Amir Mohammad Hosseini, Dina Pouryounes Langeroudi and Kasra Mehdipournejad had come from Iran.

Aram Mahmoud, Wael Shueb, Rami Anis, Wael Fawaz Al-Farraj and Yusra Mardini all originally came from Syria.

Mardini was one of the 10 members of the inaugural team at Rio 2016 and is a UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador.

The scholarship holders refugee status has been confirmed by UNHCR and each are benefiting from support from their host National Olympic Committees (NOCs).

These includes the NOCs of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Britain, Israel, Jordan, Luxembourg, Portugal, the Netherlands and Turkey.

International Federations were also claimed to have been influential in providing training for the athletes prior to Tokyo 2020, with the process set to continue.

The Rio 2016 team featured athletes in the sports of athletics, judo and swimming.

The three sports could again feature refugee athletes at Tokyo 2020, but competitors may also come from badminton, boxing, karate, taekwondo and weightlifting.

As well as the 10 athletes from the Rio 2016 team, there are 13 new individual athletes and a group of athletes preparing at the Tegla Loroupe Refugee Training Centre in Kenya.

All are being assisted by Olympic Solidarity through its refugee athletes support programme, along with training grants and NOC support.

The support is aimed at ensuring the athletes can train towards the Games but also continue their sporting career and enhance their future after Tokyo 2020.

"Sport is a universal language that transcends borders, walls, wars and other barriers," said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

"It's a powerful tool for helping refugees to heal, grow and become part of their new communities.

"These inspirational athletes are a symbol for refugees all around the world.

"They show what can be achieved, against all odds, through resilience, determination and dedication to what you love."

Bach said the team would be larger than the 10 athletes that competed at Rio 2016, with the full composition set to be announced in June next year.

The IOC President added that athletes would not be required to meet the qualification criteria outlined by International Federations, but their standards would be assessed prior to a final decision as to whether they make the team.

The team will compete at Tokyo 2020 under the acronym "EOR", standing for Equipe Olympique des Réfugiés.

Kenya's Loroupe, a former marathon world record holder, will reprise her role as Chef de Mission from the team after leading the delegation at Rio 2016.

The Rio 2016 was followed by the IOC's establishment of the Olympic Refuge Foundation.

The organisation works alongside UNHCR to support projects beyond the Games, including offering ongoing support to refugees and displaced people by creating safe sports facilities and developing sporting activities in these environments.

The aim of the Foundation is for one million forcibly displaced young people to have access to safe sport by 2024.

NEWTON, NJ-After the tragic loss of Newton High School 17-year-old Lexi Faye on May 11 the community has come together to support one another in Newton and beyond.

Brian Scari, the owner of Newton McDonald's and a Pope John graduate, could see how affected his workers were and decided to step in and help out.

"When I heard about the tragedy and how much it affected the staff, it was just a blow to morale and a blow to these individuals' ideas about life. Something happens to you like that when you're so young, it just brings you down to earth and just makes you realize that life is temporary, and these are individuals who have their whole lives ahead of them and to have such a realization at that age, it's really tough," Scari said.

McDonald's participated in the "White Out Day" for Faye on May 23, but Scari felt that since so many of his workers had been impacted, that he wanted to do more.

"Being the largest fast food operator in town, I felt compelled and almost obligated to do more and it has really hit home for me since I went to Pope John for high school and am now a business academic advisor over there and go there once a month and speak to the entrepreneur classes," Scari said.

The fundraiser was held on a Wednesday, May 29 and 10 percent of revenue for a total of three hours were donated to the Lexi Faye Heart of Gold Scholarship. According to Scari, sales in the first hour totaled around $1,400, the second around $1,550 and the third was around $1,400 also, so in total it was around $4,300.

"I would have donated $430 to the scholarship, but instead I donated a total of $500, which was the amount of the scholarship from us," Scari noted.

Scari mentioned that he could see the company donating every year to this scholarship as he does not want this to be seen as something done in the moment of the tragedy.

"This is a tragedy that affected the entire town, from the mother of the high school student who is a manager and works for me to the exact person who was in math class with her, so it is not something that you just let die, you commit to it and you do it every year and even if we don't do a fundraiser around it, I will still be contributing to the fund, cause it is of upmost importance."

Other businesses such as Villa Capri in Sparta and Mama Cee's in Franklin held fundraisers on Friday, June 7 all day long in honor of Faye.

Nereyda Maldonado, a Richmond native who graduated from Richmond High, is now a decade into her career as special events coordinator at the Chevron Richmond Refinery. Not only does she love her job, she said she loves that her job allows her give back to her community.

As second year site leader for the Richmond chapter of the Chevron SOMOS Employee Network, Maldonado was on hand last Friday evening at Café Soleil in El Sobrante to honor eight deserving local high students who earned $1,000 college scholarships from the network.

The SOMOS employee network is a group of dedicated Latin American and Hispanic employees at Chevron who work together to support each other's career development and to organize community engagement projects such as this scholarship program. It is one of several employee-run networks encouraged by Chevron, across all of its locations worldwide, to both promote and to benefit from diversity and inclusivity in its workforce.

This year's SOMOS scholarship recipients include Middle College High students Mylani Sonico, Ishika Prashar, Kelsey Heatherington, Leslie Noriega and Mathew PIzano; Richmond High's Cynthia Mendoza and Giselle Sanchez; and De Anza High's Edwin Garcia.

The award, available to all local students regardless of their ethnic background, had students submit applications consisting of a two-page essay. The applications were judged by four members of the SOMOS employee network.

Maldonado beamed at honoring the winners, saying she takes pride in playing a role in helping youth from her community succeed.

"It's an awesome feeling knowing we are helping these students achieve their college dreams," she said.

Hector Infante, the Refinery's public affairs manager and a native of El Salvador, encouraged scholarship winners not only to pursue their education goals, but to one day use their new skills to help enrich their communities.

"Thanks to our employees who want to reach out to the community, and to those who are from here and want to give back, we have scholarship opportunities such as this," Infante said at Friday's scholarship ceremony.

Separately, the Richmond chapter of the Chevron Black Employee Network provides annual student scholarships. Also, as part of a $90 million community benefits agreement between the City of Richmond and Chevron connected to the Richmond Modernization Project, $35 million was earmarked to help establish the Richmond Promise College Scholarship in 2014. The program provides up to $6,000 in college scholarships and guidance to every Richmond and North Richmond student planning to attend a two or four year college or university or career technical education program.

By Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press on June 20, 2019.

A pilot project allowing Canadian university women's hockey teams to offer more scholarship money to athletes has yet to show concrete evidence it stops top talent from going to the NCAA.

Starting in 2014, Canadian schools could offer "enhanced scholarships" to female hockey players covering tuition, fees, room and board, but still have to stay under a cap.

NCAA schools were interested in University of Alberta forward Alex Poznikoff, who might have been a poster child for the pilot project if she wasn't already predisposed to playing for a Canadian university back in 2015.

The U Sports women's hockey player of the year in 2018-19 says the Pandas paying for her tuition and fees was one element among many in her decision to play in her hometown of Edmonton.

"I was definitely leaning towards Canada in the first place," Poznikoff told The Canadian Press.

"The scholarship definitely helped a lot in my decision, but it just kind of worked out that at home was the team I wanted."

The purpose of the women's hockey project was to provide data which could be used to slow the flow of Canada's top student-athletes to the United States.

At the time, almost 4,000 Canadians were on NCAA team rosters including 400 female hockey players, according to U Sports.

Canada's under-22 team, known as the national development team, is still dominated by NCAA players.

Twenty of 22 women on the 2014 team played for NCAA teams, and the ratio remained the same in 2018.

Out of the 41 women invited to the 2018 development team's summer camp, 39 played in the NCAA.

U Sports has extended the pilot to 2020-21 to gather more information on the impact of enhanced scholarship.

"There was never a reporting mechanism put in place to tell you the truth," U Sports chief sport officer Lisette Johnson-Stapley said.

"Now we're picking up the pieces and trying to move it forward. We're trying to figure out evaluation measures, key performance indicators to show they actually stayed in Canada for that reason."

A New York Times article in 2008 reported the average annual female hockey scholarship at a Division 1 school to be US$20,540.

"The NCAA makes it hard to turn offers down," Poznikoff acknowledged.

The average annual cost of attending a Canadian university is $19,500 for students who don't live at home, according to a 2018 report by MacLeans.ca.

But Canadian schools have a cap limiting the number and amount of athletic scholarships they can provide.

Lessening the scope of the pilot project was its voluntary participation and schools having to come up with the extra money.

So a "full ride" scholarship was not common.

"We've had three separate individuals in a five-year period that we've given that amount of money to, and some others who have gone over the historical tuition fees amount," Pandas head coach Howie Draper said.

"I feel being able to offer more funding made their decision more likely to come to the U of A. The money increases the probability although how much we don't know."

McGill head coach Peter Smith said the pilot project had little impact on his Martlets. He was already up against the cap covering tuition for as many players as he could.

"It's part of our culture, part of our philosophy at McGill that we feel everybody has value and we were giving everybody as much as we possibly could to them and it was all fairly equitable across the board," he explained.

OUA rules on athletic financial awards (AFAs) more restrictive than other conferences. Ontario schools can only offer full tuition - it was partial prior to 2014 - but not room and board like other conferences.

Ryerson coach Lisa Haley was still able to recruit Erika Crouse last year. Crouse had NCAA options but played for the Rams and was named the U Sports rookie of the year.

According to Haley's research, however, 162 of 279 Canadians playing for 35 NCAA Division 1 women's hockey last season came from Ontario.

"I think the intent of the pilot project was bold in nature in trying to keep our best players in Canada," Haley said.

"Five years is not long enough to see the significant change that people want to see. I still feel like it's been a very productive learning process. I think we can get it right moving forward."

But instead of swinging for the fence and pursuing a national-calibre player bound for the NCAA, Canadian teams often just spread a little more money between recruits who were staying in Canada anyway.

Poznikoff's teammate Autumn MacDougall told The Canadian Press what the Pandas were able to do for her financially made it less expensive for her to attend the University of Alberta than a school in her home province of Nova Scotia.

University of Regina coach Sarah Hodges did use the pilot project to swing for the fence.

"We only used one enhanced scholarship," Hodges said. "It was an athlete who was looking south and we wanted to keep her here. We covered 100 per cent - tuition, room and board.

"It's a pretty big fundraising commitment for one athlete. But when you get that good athlete, they bring more good athletes to your program."

Representation on the national development team indicates it's still difficult for Canadian universities to lure elite athletes away from the NCAA.

"There needs to be an identification process of all of our best players," Smith said.

"Maybe we have the top 40 players and those are the players we should target and try and keep at Canadian schools being coached by Canadian coaches.

"Maybe if you get a player off that top-40 list, then you can give them an enhanced AFA that doesn't have any affect on the rest of your cap for example."

A less measurable outcome of the pilot project is women are giving more consideration to Canadian schools when they choose where they want to play and pursue a degree.

"I think it allowed us to get in the conversation with more people than maybe we wouldn't have been able to get in otherwise," York University coach Dan Church said.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

CLOSE

The $1,000-per-year scholarship is endowed through the UNR Foundation

Students enjoy the use of the latest technologies in the newly renovated Newsroom at the Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism and Center for Advanced Media Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno. (Photo: Courtesy Jeff Dow Photography)

The Reno Gazette Journal Foundation has created a new scholarship endowment for Nevada high school graduates who want to pursue a journalism degree at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The newspaper last month awarded more than $15,000 to UNR's Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism, a total that includes a $10,000 endowment plus more than $5,000 to start the $1,000-per-year scholarship.

That scholarship will be open to full-time juniors or seniors with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA. Eligible applicants have to demonstrate a financial need and come recommended by the Reynolds School's scholarship committee. The first scholarship will be awarded next year.

Since its inception in 1999, the RGJ Foundation has awarded more than $1.3 million in grants to local organizations, including the Children's Cabinet, High Fives Foundation, Moms on the Run and Nevada Museum of Art.

In 2018, it established an endowed scholarship through the Nevada Women's Fund.

"The RGJ Foundation has been able to support so many wonderful organizations over the years, all of them working to make life better in the Reno-Sparks community," said Peggy Santoro, vice president of the RGJ Foundation board of directors. "Funding has gone to the arts, literacy, medical research, children in need, animal welfare and more. And now the foundation is incredibly proud to be able to support future generations of journalists with this endowment."

Al Stavitsky, dean of the Reynolds School, said the newspaper foundation's latest endowment memorializes a "deep, rich connection" between two Reno institutions.

"The Reynolds School of Journalism and the RGJ have been linked in so many fruitful ways for generations," Stavitsky said. "We're deeply grateful that the RGJ created this (scholarship) to support future generations who want to serve their communities.

"In many ways this journalism school was built by the leaders of Reno's newspapers, so it's fitting that we have a scholarship in their name going forward."

The RGJ's history as a Northern Nevada news organization dates back to 1870. The paper has since won numerous national and regional awards honoring editorial and advertising excellence, including a Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. UNR taught its first journalism course in 1921.

Read or Share this story: https://www.rgj.com/story/news/politics/2019/06/20/rgj-opens-new-scholarship-j-school-students/1493705001/

Nia Muhammad is a recent graduate of Lane Tech College Prep and has been awarded over $3 million in scholarships as well as the Gates Millennium Scholarship.

Some of the universities offered Muhammad full academic scholarships, including Princeton University, Yale University, the University of Southern California, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago and Stanford University.

Muhammad believes her personal statement in her essay about going natural and cutting her hair among her many accomplishments in high school helped her earn so many scholarships. Just to name a few, Muhammad was involved in National Honors Society, Black Student Association, Chicago Scholars and ACES Mentor, along with other accomplishments.

She encourages students to put their personality in their essays. Muhammad has decided to attend Stanford and looks forward to taking organic chemistry at the university with aspirations to become an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Recent high school graduates Amber Hiscock and Christine McCollum were selected as recipients for the 2019 Williamson County Fair Board Scholarship.

The annual award, which recognizes students with outstanding academic performance, leadership positions and overall involvement in the Williamson County Fair, will grant each of the incoming freshmen $2,000 toward her college tuition.

"These are two very extraordinary and well-deserving individuals," Rogers Anderson, Williamson County Fair Chairman, said. "We know these students will succeed in pursuing their college degrees, and we are grateful that we can contribute to the future of our youth through the Fair's scholarship program."

Amber Hiscock is a 2019 Centennial High School graduate who plans to attend the University of Tennessee-Knoxville to study Aerospace Engineering.

Hiscock has been an active participant in the Williamson County Fair for the past four years, serving on the Junior Fair Board and as an officer for the Williamson County 4-H Horse Project, honing her skills at showing, judging, and hippology. She has also held secretary and vice president positions for the Honor Club and Volunteer Ranch Horse association, respectively.

Hiscock is passionate about the Williamson County Fair and what is has to offer the community.

"The County Fair provides something for everyone, whether you're a science nerd, fashion guru, livestock aficionado, enjoy watching all the shows, or just like to ride the fun rides; the Fair has something for everyone to enjoy," Hiscock wrote in her scholarship application essay.

Christine McCollum, a home-schooled student, completed her high school degree in May 2019 while also taking courses at Columbia State Community College for two semesters. She also will attend the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in the fall, where she will study agriculture.

McCollum's involvement with the Williamson County Fair includes six years on the Junior Fair Board, nine years as a 4-H member, including an officer position with the 4-H Livestock Project, and more than 300 volunteer hours and participation in a number of competitive events and shows through the years.

"The Fair has shown me how lucky I am to be able to have grown up on a farm and be immersed in agriculture," McCollum said in her scholarship application essay. "I am so thankful for the platform that 4-H and the Fair give me to share my love for agriculture and to help educate our community."

The Williamson County Fair scholarship was implemented in 2013 and has now been awarded to a total of 21 students, recognizing graduating high school seniors for their years of time and talent that contributed to the Fair's success.

To learn more about the Williamson County Fair, which will celebrate its 15th Anniversary Friday, August 2, through Saturday, August 10, go to www.williamsoncountyfair.org.

CLOSE

A scholarship has been started in memory of Emily Knox, who died in a traffic crash Jan. 1 in Port Huron. (Photo: Knox family)

The St. Clair County Community Foundation is accepting donations for the Emily Knox Law Enforcement Dedication Scholarship Fund.

"It's our honor to work with the parents of Emily Knox, Jen and Kevin, to honor the passion their daughter had for law enforcement. The Emily Knox Law Enforcement Dedication Scholarship Fund has been created to support the Port Huron Police Department and their Youth Academy program," the community foundation posted on its website.

"She was a graduate of the first Port Huron Police Department Youth Academy in 2018 and proudly supported the Thin Blue Line movement," her obituary stated.

Emily Knox, 18, of Port Huron Township, was killed in a New Year's Day traffic crash in Port Huron.

"We hope to help as many deserving candidates with their education as possible and we want this fund to continue long after we're gone to carry on Emily's spirit and memory," the foundation quotes Jen Knox of saying.

Donations can be made on the foundation's website.

According to the foundation, Emily Knox graduated from Landmark Academy in June 2018, where she was varsity cheer captain and played soccer. She was enrolled at Saginaw Valley State University as a student in the Criminal Justice program.

Police said Knox died after the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro she was riding in crashed on Pine Grove Avenue near Thomas Edison Drive Jan. 1.

Matthew Zeng, 21, of Port Huron is charged with reckless driving causing death in the crash. He faces up to 15 years in prison and/or $2,500 to $10,000 fine if convicted; vehicle immobilization unless it is foreited; and to reimburse the government for emergency response and expenses for prosecuting the defendant.

Zweng waived his preliminary examination in district court June 11. He's scheduled to be arraigned in circuit court July 8.

Read or Share this story: https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2019/06/20/donations-being-accepted-scholarship-fund-named-crash-victims-honor/1500764001/

2019 Nicholasville Rotary Scholarship Awards

Jessamine County high school seniors received college scholarships from the Nicholasville Rotary Club during a ceremony recently at the luncheon meeting at Central Bank. Award recipients were Leah Hatton and Brandon Childers of West Jessamine; Zachary Thornberry, Brenna Creekmore and Garand Fields of East Jessamine; Grace Combs of Lexington Christian Academy; and Oliver Sutherland, homeschool. In addition Thornberry received the Joe McMurtry Community Service Scholar award. Awards were based on student achievements inside and outside the classroom, as well as their embodiment of the Rotary "service above self" motto. Funds for the scholarship are raised through the Annual Rotary Pancake Breakfast and individual member donations. Over the last 20 years Nicholasville Rotary has distributed more than $120,000 toward education. From left: Past President Randall Chewning, Brandon Childers, Zachary Thornberry, Leah Hatton, Grace Combs and President Ruby Mason.

From staff reports Set apart is one way to describe online learning at Asbury University. With online learning, Asbury sets... read more

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation announced the 2019 recipients of the Ray, Mary, and Tim Niebrugge Scholarship. Scholarships totaling $40,000 have been awarded to 32 students:

Altamont High School - Ashley Goeckner (2018), Shelby Tolbot (2018); Beecher City High School - Allie Stell (2019), Olivia Witteborg (2018); Effingham High School - Kaylie Allred (2018), Madison Blacker (2018), Zoe Bridges (2018), Megan Bushue (2019), Mikenzi Bushue (2019), Sadie Bushur (2018) Alyssa Cunningham (2017), Reilly Durham (2018), Maria Dust (2018), Brynn Flack (2017), Haidyn Lewis (2019), Tara Torres (2017), Anna Wines (2016); St. Anthony High School - Alexander Brandenburger (2019); Teutopolis High School - Logan Blankenship (2019), Mikayla Blankenship (2019), Audra Breer (2017), Tyler Deters (2019), Abigail Flach (2019), Alexander Hartke (2017), Garrett Hartke (2017), Courtney Hoene (2018), Leah Jansen (2018), Kayla Kroeger (2016), Jacob Metter (2016), Abigail Schmidt (2019), Andres Trevino (2019), Kate Volk (2019).

The Ray, Mary and Tim Niebrugge Scholarship is open to all current students and alumni of high schools in Effingham County. It was established by Tim Niebrugge, the son of Ray and Mary Niebrugge of Green Creek. Ray Niebrugge inherited a tract of land from his father, John, and continued reinvesting in the farm for more than 40 years. Tim farmed the ground after his parents passed away until his own death on Sept. 22, 2006. Tim was never married and had no children. Tim established this trust to help Effingham County students with financial need continue their education.

The Niebrugge Farm was the first gift of farmland through the Community Foundation's Fields of Opportunity program. Fields of Opportunity puts the Community Foundation in a unique position to receive and retain gifts of farmland and use the available income to benefit local charities that make the community a stronger and better place to live. Retaining local ownership of farmland means wealth generated stays with local tenants, circulating throughout the community.

The fund has awarded $343,000 in scholarships over the past 10 years. The Fields of Opportunity program will ensure that scholarship funds will continue to be made in perpetuity.

For more information regarding the Ray, Mary, and Tim Niebrugge Scholarship, visit www.enrichingourcommunity.org/RMT. For more information on the Fields of Opportunity program, visit www.enrichingourcommunity.org/FarmlandGiving or call Amanda Lessley, President/CEO, at 217.342.5409.

Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation was established in 2009 as a result of a merger between Effingham County Community Foundation (est. 1999) and Mattoon Area Community Foundation (est. 1980). Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization managing permanent and non-permanent assets for the long-term benefit of communities in southeastern Illinois.

Twenty-one MVAOCOU seniors received an Ortner Scholarship during commencement in May. The amount of $29,750 was awarded to high school seniors to help pay for their college education. The scholarships ranged between $500 to $3,500.

With the rising cost of college tuition, scholarships like the Ortner Scholarship help lighten the financial cost for students.

The Ortner Scholarship Foundation was established by Gary and Leah Ortner at the urging of their good friend, Larry Mordhorst, to create a remembrance in honor of their children, Jamie Jo and Jason, who tragically passed away in 1997.

The foundation is a nonprofit organization that annually awards post-secondary education scholarships to graduating students. Scholarships started being awarded to the Charter Oak-Ute Class of 2006, of which Jamie would have been a member. Starting with the Class of 2018, all MVAOCOU graduates were eligible to apply to receive a scholarship.

Students are encouraged to participate in foundation activities because a main component of how much is awarded is based on service to Ortner Scholarship Foundation events, community service, academic achievement, extra-curricular activities, and the essays outlining their goals for the future.

Students with the foundation have helped with a number of events in the community, like Ute Fun Days, Halloween party, and the Mapleton Ambulance supper, to name a few activities.

The golf tournament was started in 2004 to raise additional funds each year, along with an auction to raise money.

Over the course of the past 14 years, over $250,000 has been awarded in scholarships to 261 graduating students. As the tournament has matured, students who were recipients have become participants, adding to a very passionate group of community members, family, and friends who support the tournament and foundation.

A number of former graduates that have received an Ortner Scholarship have returned to the area to pursue their careers and some have gotten involved in the community.

The Ortner Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament is the biggest fundraiser for the foundation and a great opportunity for students to be involved in serving the foundation. The annual golf tournament is held at Willow Vale Golf Course in Mapleton. This year's tournament will be held on Saturday, July 27. Between entry fees, hole sponsors, and other donations, the tournament has helped raise thousands of dollars each year.

There are various duties that students can help with at the tournament, and all students in high school are encouraged to participate. The tournament is a great opportunity for student involvement and also a way to raise funds for the scholarships awarded, all while having a great time.

In conjunction with the tournament, a silent auction/live auction will also be held. Families and friends can remember their loved ones by having their names added to a Memory Pole. Individuals or businesses who are interested in donating auction items can contact Fred Sweers at 712-870-3041.

The Ortner Scholarship Foundation thanks everyone who has helped with this cause and looks forward to supporting students further their education for years to come.

In line with their mission to support, educate and empower female beer professionals, Pink Boots Society Australia is proud to open applications for their annual scholarships to the IBA BrewCon beer conference.

Pink Boots is offering four members the opportunity to attend the conference, held in Melbourne on 4 and 5 September. The successful applicants will receive a ticket to the conference, return economy flights and accommodation.

To apply for a scholarship, applicants will need to discuss in 500 words or less:

• Why you would like to go to the conference?
• What you expect to get from the conference?
• How will you 'Pay It Forward' to your fellow Pink Boots Society members?

Since 2016, Pink Boots Society Australia has offered scholarships to BrewCon for members to develop their knowledge and skillset and network with industry. A key consideration of the scholarship applications is the Pay It Forward, an opportunity for recipients to build on their conference experience with benefits for both themselves and their fellow members.

The Pay It Forward was the idea of Pink Boots Society founder, Teri Fahrendorf, when establishing the scholarship program.

"When I was designing what Pink Boots Society could or would be, I thought about what the society could do to help women surmount and surpass anything that could be holding them back, I determined that education could do that" says Teri. "Education is how we are going to get women to the next level of their careers."

"So we had a plan for the scholarship program and our goal is to support every woman in beer around the world. We wanted to make the whole world, and the beer world, a better place than we found it in a fair and ethical way - so how do we help others beyond the scholarships? We have to ensure that each scholarship benefits as many members as possible and the beer industry at large. I realised that communication was key and the Pay It Forward came to be."

"The Pay It Forward requirement ensures as many people benefit as possible through sharing the knowledge gained. Recipients can represent themselves as experienced and qualified women authors and speakers, who automatically become role models for our younger members (and role models for potential female beer drinkers) just by being visible."

"It helps our members "step up" toward becoming tomorrow's beer industry leaders through gaining confidence and communication skills through completing their Pay It Forward."

Zoe Ottaway, Vice-President of Pink Boots and the society's Scholarship Coordinator, said "As a not-for- profit organisation, we are so pleased we are able to offer scholarships again this year. BrewCon is an educational anchor for the Australian beer industry, as well as a significant networking opportunity, and to be able open this to four of our members is something that every supporter of Pink Boots Australia should be proud of."

The scholarships are open to anyone who is a Pink Boots member. Membership is open to women who are actively employed or retired from a career in the beer industry, who are in the process of opening a brewery or are students currently enrolled in a beer industry focused program. Membership in Australia is currently free. Any membership queries can be directed to Pink Boots via [email protected]y.com.au.

Applications are to be sent as a Word document to [email protected] by 5pm Friday 21 June. Terms and conditions for the scholarships can be found via the website.

Successful applications will be notified on Wednesday 31 July and the Scholarship Recipients will be announced on the Pink Boots Australia Facebook page.

Zoe added, "The opportunity to send members to the conference is only possible due to the events and brew days we hold. Thank you to everyone who participated and supported these events and to every venue across the country who put a Pink Boots beer on tap".

"Pink Boots Society Australia would also like to thank the judges involved in the 2019 application process - Jayne Lewis (Two Birds Brewing and inaugural Pink Boots Society Australia President), Ben Kraus (Bridge Road Brewers), Stephanie Howard (Cryer Malt), Selena Henshall (Bintani Australia), Luke Robertson (Ale of a Time) and Teri Fahrendorf (Founder of Pink Boots Society).

For more information, please contact: Zoe Ottaway Pink Boots Australia Vice President and Scholarship Coordinator e: [email protected] m: 0407 126 474.