$30K in education assistance funding given to Ashland High School students
The Ashland Rotary Foundation (ARF) introduced its Ashland High School (AHS) scholarship recipients and their guests at the Rotary Club of Ashland luncheon meeting on May 23 and distributed scholarships that evening at AHS Awards Night.
Recipients from the AHS Class of 2024 received six $4,000 scholarships and one $2,000 scholarship from the Ashland Rotary Foundation scholarship endowment and five returning AHS Class of 2023 scholarship recipients received an additional $4,000 each for their second year. Each student shared about their plans, goals and gratitude with the Rotary Club of Ashland members.
Ashland Rotary Foundation President Alan Harper conducted the annual meeting, reminding Ashland Rotary Club members of the foundation’s mission, funding for service projects, its 1984 origin and current financial condition. Over $1,000,000 in scholarships have been given from interest earned to date from the ARF endowment with assets of more than $1.7 million.
Before introducing the scholarship recipients, scholarship chair Susan Hearn shared the history of the AHS scholarships and the process of selecting them.
Club members learned the names of the major donors who make up the Founder’s Scholarships: Reverend Gerald & Olive Churchill (1984), Dr. Harvey A. Woods (1989), Earl E. & Maurece Lininger (1991), Ralph & Clare Farr Family (1999), Steve Groveman (1999) for Community College, John & Gladys Billings (2001), Reverend BJ & Olga Holland (2001), James S. & Elizabeth C. Matteson (2004), Robert L. & Charleen K. Edwards, William & Judy Rupp (2007), and about the five current named AHS scholarships: Jed and Celia Meese, Jerry and Jeanne Taylor, TC Chevy, Brett Bernard and Richard and Jean Bernard.
Scholarships were awarded to seven 2024 graduates:
- Saywon Stella Park – Jed & Celia Meese (2019) – Student with interest in pursuing business degree
- Indira Frieder -Jerry & Jeanne Taylor (2011) For a worthy student with leadership and service
- Nicolai Moore – Take care, Chevy (2011) Any worthy student
- Alexander Krause – Brett Bernard (2007) – Worthy students medicine, science, music or engineering
- Aurora Graham – Richard and Jean Bernard (2005) – Engineering, science or mechanical trades
- Ananda O’Neill – Founders scholarship – 4-year university–For a worthy student with strong community service
- Kaimalia Mielke – Founders’ scholarship – 2-year community college–For a worthy student with strong community service
Two of the five Class of 2023 recipients were able to return:
Tara Vivrett – Finance at Chapman (Jed and Celia Meese scholarship)
Amelia Mercado – University of Puget Sound (Dick and Jean Bernard scholarship)
Students were selected from 56 applicants for their academic performance, service to school and community, financial need and embodiment of the Rotary 4-Way test.
The Rotary Club of Ashland meets at noon Thursdays in Wesley Hall at the First United Methodist Church, 175 N. Main St., Ashland. For more information, go to ashlandrotary.org.
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