Anne McBride and the Scholarship Committee of Cindy Calender, Suzy Walters and Lynn Ellis awarded $4,500.00 in scholarships of $1500.00 each to two Elkins High seniors and a Texas A&M Senior. The process is rigorous and every application is rated individually by each committee member prior to meeting as a group to make the final selections. The winners are announced to QVGC at our May meeting. This year was quite a surprise for several members who knew the girls and/or their parents. With one exception, I believe this was a "first" since I have been writing about the winners.
Anne presented the awardees at our May 10 Installation at Aura Restaurant. Our two Elkins students, Jessica Landry and Carly Brightwell, and their parents could attend. Our A&M awardee, Brian Wheeler, was taking finals.
Anne McBride (left), Scholarship Chair with Carly Bridghtwell's parents.
Our college recipients are Junior and above students with Texas roots majoring in Horticulture or other gardening-related fields. Its purpose is to further gardening and our knowledge of it through helping train new professionals into the field.
Brian Wheeler is a Senior at Texas A&M with a major in horticulture with an emphasis on landscape design and a minor business. Not only has Brian worked his way through school, but also is the first generation of his family to attend college. He has one more semester to complete his under graduate education.
Brain works 30 hours a week and carries an academic load of 16-18 hours per semester. He has worked at the same job in College Station at Discount Tires and has worked his way through all positions available at the tire store. His manager says, "he's the best worker he has had in 11 years of managing Discount Tire."
Brian's career goals are to work for a landscape design company to learn the landscape design business and possibly in the future become self-employed. His goal is to "go the extra mile for my customers."
We hope to receive a picture from Brian since he was unable to attend.
Our high school scholarships are to provide students who have shown academic, leadership and other interests in addition to school. Its purpose is to help deserving young people from our neighborhood attend college.
Jessica Landry is an Elkins High School senior who has been accepted at Texas A&M University. She plans to major in business, which appears to be a good major when you read about her organizational as well as leadership skills.
Jessica's father is a Presbyterian Minister so she has attended a wide variety of schools including those in South Carolina, Austin, TX. and Mississippi before entering Elkins as a freshman.
Despite having to make a whole new group of friends and learn a new area, her teachers write that she shows leadership, is able to work effectively with peers and adults, as well as can make friends and do well in school. Her employer tells us she goes beyond what is expected and is always dependable and cheerful.
Awards: Academic excellence sophomore and junior years; National Honor Society; English honors society.
Leadership: She has been elected to the Student Council Freshman, Junior and was an officer her Senior year. She led the Presbyterian Youth Connection for 4 years and headed a project to pack 60,000 meals and worked to raise $15,000 for the project. Her Youth Minister says " (Jessica) leads peers by suggesting, recommending and encouragement."
Able to be extremely active in church and school without affecting academic performance, it was a pleasure to meet Jessica and her mother.
Karly Brightwell is also a Senior at Elkins and plans to attend Incarnate Word in San Antonio in the honors program and major in pre-veterinarian science. Besides being a scholar, she is also an athelete. Jessica has also volunteered at the Houston Humane Society; hence, her interest in becoming a veterinarian.
Her Environmental Science teacher described her as, "gifted in analysis and not squimish." Good traits for her major.
Carly has also been a lifegaurd for two years. Her manager describes her as "disciplined and tenacious tenacious toward goals."
Awards: Academic excellence 2008-2011; Excellence in biology; Excellence In English III AP; Senior Noble Knight; National Honor Society; Spanish Honor Society ( treasurer); Mu Alpha Theta.
Athletics: cross country: Captain of soccer team
Her community work includes coaching - soccer (MCUSA) and participating in QVST. She has worked with LOST as well as the Houston Humane Society. She also sings and plays the piano.
Congratulations to all recipients and thanks to Elkins Principal Barbara Whitaker and a counselor for attending!
To read about other scholarship winners, select "Scholarships" under Categories from the right column of this site.
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