Scholarship Winners Announced

Service above Self

Again this year, the Rotary Club of Big Bear Lake will award college scholarships to deserving high school seniors. This year the Club is awarding a total of $9000 in six separate scholarships of $1500 each. 

The annual scholarships are presented at the high school awards night on June 1st at the Performing Arts Center of Big Bear Lake.  In addition to these annual scholarships, Rotary also sponsors five $1000 endowed scholarships through the Mihaylo Foundation.  Those are awarded at the Mihaylo event at the Performing Arts Center on June 7th. 

The Rotary Interact Club also awards scholarships to its deserving members, usually totaling up to as much as $2500.  The Club also donates a $1000 scholarship to Chautauqua High School, which is administered by the school principal.  In total, the Rotary Club donates approximately $17,500 annually in scholarships and is one of the largest donor organizations in the Big Bear Valley.

The Rotary Club has just announced its 2015 annual College Scholarship winners.  The students are recognized for their academic achievement, student government, sports, clubs, fine arts, outside work and for their community service during their high school careers.  Rotary places great emphasis on community service and volunteerism since the Club’s motto is “Service above Self.” 

The Rotary Club received a total of 26 applicants this year from a class of 172 students.  Applications were reviewed by a Committee of Rotary members who then made the selections in each category. 

Committee Chair Dave Caretto stated, “There were many qualified and deserving students; we only wish we had more funds to distribute.  The quality of our high school students is outstanding, and this is a tribute not only to the students themselves but also to their parents, their teachers and their school.” 

The scholarship winners will be introduced at the annual Rotary Eagle of Excellence Community Service Awards and Dinner on June 7, 2015 at the Bear Creek Resort. 

Rotary Scholarships are typically presented after the end of the student’s freshman year in college.  Each student is asked to attend a Rotary meeting to discuss their first year, the major they selected, any interesting classes, and their experiences during college.  This gives Rotary Club members a chance to meet the students up close and to be sure that they are making progress toward their chosen degree.  The Club then presents them with a check for the full scholarship amount.

Rotary Scholarship Winners for 2015 are as follows:

Bob Wood Memorial Scholarship (with emphasis on majors in Communications and Journalism)--Brett Ghelber

John Voss Memorial Scholarship (for students pursuing vocational school or college)--Naomi Nelson

Academic Scholarships (for students with high academic achievement and community service)--Cory Butcher, Madison Waner, Hannah Wijnhamer, Taylor Waner

The Rotary Club of Big Bear Lake congratulates all of the student applicants and award winners and wishes them well as they leave the Big Bear Valley for various colleges and vocational schools.  We hope that they will someday return to Big Bear Valley to help this community grow and prosper.