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One student from each of the three Forest Hills public high schools was on the receiving end of a $1,500 scholarship awarded by the Friends in March for outstanding achievement in academics and volunteerism.
This year’s winners included Sam DeRoos (Forest Hills Northern), Paige Kitts (Forest Hills Eastern) and Saniya Mishra (Forest Hills Central) who were selected from a group of 10 highly qualified and deserving applicants, according to Friends Past President Debbie Straub, who oversees the scholarship program.
“We started the year with the intention of awarding two scholarships,” she explained. “But, when our board saw how many exceptional young students had applied, it voted to add a third $1,500 scholarship to the budget. I think that says a lot about the Friends’ commitment to volunteerism.”
As an all-volunteer organization, the Friends understand the importance of volunteering and use the scholarship program as one way to express their appreciation of and respect for young people in the community who manage to share their time and talents while achieving academic excellence.
We asked each of our winners to share their plans and a little about their involvement in volunteering and extracurriculars. Here is what they had to say.
Sam DeRoos
I will attend Michigan State University in the fall studying biochemistry on a pre-med track in the Lyman Briggs Honors College of Science. I chose Lyman Briggs because of its academic living/learning style community. I have always aspired to become a physician, and I believe Lyman Briggs will help me achieve that goal.
Since I speak Spanish--having studied the Spanish culture since elementary school in the FHPS Spanish immersion program--I plan to pursue a minor in Spanish and use my second language in healthcare.
As for extracurriculars, I plan to continue playing tennis and basketball in the intramural sports programs. I’m not fully aware what other options are available to me at MSU. So, I’m looking forward to freshman orientation to learn about the different groups I might join and volunteer opportunities in the East Lansing area.
I was first exposed to volunteering by my parents. I have also been a part of numerous organizations which prioritize volunteering/community service, such as my church, scouting, student government and National Honor Society. However, what really drove me to continue was witnessing the impact of helping others firsthand. Helping others has become an integral part of who I am, and I believe it's essential to carry forward this spirit of service into the next chapter of my life. I will definitely be looking to join student organizations at MSU that prioritize volunteer work as part of their mission. I am looking forward to new opportunities and experiences in college.
Paige Kitts
Next year I will be attending Alma College. I chose it over other schools because of its small size, fantastic study abroad program, and the high level of support they offer. I will be going in undecided and am interested in a lot of subjects and areas. I love math, English, environmental science, psychology, American Sign Language, and special education. I'll definitely be using my first year at college to narrow in on a subject area.
I have always been motivated by caring for others and doing what I can for them. My parents, especially my mother, have also been huge motivators, which led to my love for the Girl Scouts.
Girl Scouts was the beginning of my volunteer work and has given me so many opportunities to help people. I have been volunteering at Girl Scout Day Camp for five years now. Girl Scouts has shown me that you can have fun and feel good while helping others. I am an Ambassador Girl Scout and have been in scouting for 12 years. I am on track to complete my Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, this August. I am planning on registering as a lifetime member of Girl Scouts and will continue using the skills I've learned through scouting during college and the rest of my life.
I have also been a varsity rower for four years, and this year I was a member of the crew in my school's theater production of The Little Mermaid. I had so much fun and wish I had been able to join theater sooner. I would love to continue doing theater in college.
Saniya Mishra
I will be attending Yale University, where I will be studying Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry on a pre-med track. I was inspired to pursue a career in medicine because I want to help others and give back those around me. In addition to becoming a physician in the field of public health, I also aspire to eventually serve in the U.S. Senate.
My favorite extracurricular activities include volunteering and participating in student government, both of which I look forward to continuing in college. I got involved in volunteer work because I felt really appreciative of the support I've gotten from the community, and I wanted to give back, too.
I'm definitely motivated by my appreciation for the community, which has led me to volunteer with the Friends of the Cascade Library and Coders4Tomorrow to support the resources and opportunities the libraries can provide to the community.
I definitely will continue volunteering in college. I want to be involved on campus, and I also look forward to continuing to engage in community service in the Forest Hills area when I am back home.
From left to right: Sam DeRoos, Paige Kitts and Saniya Mishra
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