National Park Rotary awards $20K in scholarships
Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club awarded 20 scholarships totaling $20,000 to area students last week.
Sara Brown, the committee chairperson for the club’s scholarship committee, who also serves as chair for the scholarship trust foundation, congratulated the students and expressed her gratefulness to those who helped make the scholarships possible last Wednesday during the club’s weekly luncheon at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hot Springs.
“Each year we offer this scholarship to our local school districts as well as nontraditional students in our community that are continuing their education,” she said. “I would personally like to thank our scholarship committee for their hard work and dedication. The entire process takes months of planning and coordination, but these committee members make a large task seem easy.”
Brown, director of Institutional Advancement at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, also thanked the president and CEO of Community First Trust Company, Bill Kerst, and his staff for managing the scholarship trust account, as well as the board members for overseeing the funds.
According to a news release, the club has presented over $385,000 in scholarships to area students since 1994.
“It’s a passion of mine to award students scholarships because of my work in education,” she said. “The donations to our scholarship trust fund make a huge impact. They provide opportunities and encouragement.”
Rotary President Tiffany Tucker said she looks forward to seeing how the scholarships create positive change within the students’ lives and help propel them forward.
“Our Rotary theme of the year is
‘Serve to Change Lives.’ Today we have shown you a little bit of what Rotary is all about — by making a difference in the lives of young people in our community. We are proud of you and all of your accomplishments thus far and know you will do great things in the future,” she told the students.
Among those presented scholarships, Alicia Weatherford, a student at Arkansas Tech University, received the Community First Trust Company Scholarship by Rotarian Bill Kerst. Weatherford plans to get her master’s degree in business administration at ATU.
Mary Mashburn, a senior at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, received the Miller-Dickson Family Scholarship by Rotarian Jim Randall. Mashburn plans to attend Arkansas State University to major in health studies.
Lakeside High School senior Pedro Robledo received the Joe & Betsy Smith Family Scholarship by Rotarian Michael Helm. Robledo plans to attend the University of Arkansas and major in architecture.
Lakeside senior Caleb Rainey received the Jefferson D. and Patsy Farris Family Scholarship by Rotarian Al Carney. Rainey plans to attend the University of Central Arkansas and major in business.
Fountain Lake High School senior Griselda Espinoza received the Lawrence H. and Richard W. Averill Family Scholarship by Rotarian Larry Levi. Espinoza plans to get her degree in advertising and public relations at the U of A.
Lakeside senior Jessica Hebert received the Cecil W. Cupp, Jr. Scholarship by Rotarian Roxanne Butterfield. Hebert plans to go into pre-dental hygiene at Henderson State University.
Fountain Lake senior Marie Coriaty received the Warren Theis Memorial Endowment Scholarship by Rotarian Joyce Whitfield. Coriarty will pursue a degree in Christian ministries at Ouachita Baptist University.
Fountain Lake senior Emma Kaumeyer received the Lynn and Cheri Endicott Family Scholarship by Rotarian Lynn Endicott. Kaumeyer plans to get her degree in physics at Hendrix College.
Hot Springs World Class High School senior Pierce Smalley received the Alexander, Thompson, Arnold Endowed Scholarship by Rotarian Joyce Whitfield. Smalley plans to attend OBU and major in business.
Lake Hamilton High School senior Allison Norton received the Bill and Judy Creason Scholarship by Rotarian Bill Creason. Norton plans to attend ATU to major in biochemistry.
Fountain Lake senior Todd Breedlove received the Joe Fish Rotary Scholarship by Rotarian Richard Herrington. Breedlove will attend the U of A and major in biochemistry.
Jessieville High School senior Rebekah George received the Clay Farrar Scholarship by Rotarian Richard Payton. George plans to attend Hillsdale College to major in American studies/ pre-law.
Lakeside senior Tanner McGrew received a General Rotary Scholarship by Rotarian Diane LaFollette. McGrew plans to major in nutritional sciences at the University of Florida.
Jessieville senior Alia Savall received a General Rotary Scholarship by Rotarian Janet Smith. Savall plans to major in exercise science at the University of Mississippi.
Cutter Morning Star senior Jessica Vaughn received a General Rotary Scholarship by Rotarian Cheryl Stafford. Vaughn is undecided about her major at this time, but plans to attend National Park College.
ASMSA senior Cadence Ventress received the Interact-ASMSA Scholarship by Rotarian David Trice. Ventress will attend the U of A to major in interdisciplinary studies.
ASMSA senior Joshua “Jess” Williams received a General Rotary Scholarship by Rotarian Roxanne Butterfield. Williams will major in neurobiology but is undecided about his college of choice at this time.
ASMSA senior Ghaida Fadah received the Kleinman Family Charitable Endowment Scholarship. Fadah will major in political science at the University of Rochester.
ASMSA senior Sarina Patel received the Arthur C. & Azalea Larson Family Scholarship. Patel plans to attend UCA to get her nursing degree.
Hot Springs senior Marlissa “Marly” Archie received the Interact-Hot Springs High School scholarship. Archie plans to major in American studies/political science and plans to attend Yale University.