Category Archives: Building A Better World Scholarship

Homegrown. Grassroots. Funded by teachers and the Oakridge community, since 2003 it is the largest “Oakridge only” scholarship available to graduating seniors. The OEA Building A Better World Scholarship consists of three $1000 scholarship – Global Awareness, Community Involvement, and Independent Travel, and is open to all graduating Oakridge High School seniors.

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2014 Winners – Dominique, Travis, and Nichole

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We are proud to announce the 2014 Building A Better World Scholarship Winners. Each of the three Oakridge Seniors above have earned a $1750 scholarship. Please go here for information on how to donate or to learn more about the history of our Scholarship.

Dominique Jessen won the 2014 Community Involvement Scholarship. Dominique won a $1750 scholarship for her past efforts and future plans for Community Involvement. She was involved in everything at Oakridge High School over the course of her four year career. 6th in her class, she served as a member of National Honor Society and Student Council and played for the 2014 Oakridge Softball Regional Championship team. She was a member of the OHS Marching Band for four years and served as drum major her junior and senior years. She went to Washington D.C. with Close Up in 2014. Dominique will be attending Western Michigan University in the Fall and majoring in business. She has already been selected for membership in the WMU Marching Band and will begin marching in August. Congratulations Dominique. Please go here to read highlights of Dominique’s winning essay.

Travis Simmons is the 2014 Independent Travel Award winner. Travis won a stipend of $1750 to help pay for his December 2014 trip to the Philippines with his grandma. Travis’ mother and grandmother are Philippine by birth. This will be his first trip outside of the United States. Travis served as a member of National Honor Society and Student Council. He was a four year participant in the Oakridge Marching Band and went to D.C. with Close UP in 2013. Travis will be attending U of M Flint this Fall where, after two years he will transfer to U of M Ann Arbor’s College of Engineering, and major in computer software engineering. Travis, like Dominique hopes to march for his college as the U of M Marching Band extends to the Flint campus. Good luck Travis. Please go here to read highlights of Travis’ winning essay.

Nicole DePender was selected as the 2014 Global Awareness / Independent Travel Scholarship winner. Nicole’s situation was unique in that she had two winning entries chosen by the selection committee, and won our first ever choice award – Nicole will choose between a $1750 Global Awareness College Scholarship or use the $1750 to travel this summer to the Grand Canyon. Nicole graduated 4th in the Oakridge Class of 2014. She was a member of National Honors Society and Student Council. Nicole carried a 175 average for the OHS bowling team and pitched for the OHS Softball Regional Championship Softball team, for which she was selected All-State as a senior. Nicole will apply to the MCC Nursing Program in the Fall. She will bowl and play softball for MCC. After completion of the MCC Nursing Program, she plans to transfer to GVSU and study to become a Physician’s Assistant. Please go here to read highlights of Nicole’s winning Global Awareness essay. Please go here to read highlights of Nicole’s Independent Travel essay.

Thank you to Sheryl Swainston, Pat Schroeder, Alicia Parker, Kim Nelski, Jeff Lohman, Bob Wood, TeAnna Friday (2013 winner), Lyndsey Gibson (2004 winner) for serving on the 2014 Building A Better World Scholarship selection committee.

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06/07/2014 · 1:37 pm

06/06/2014 · 4:56 pm

Nicole DePender – 2014 BBW Global Awareness Scholarship

Excerpts from Nicole Depender’s winning essay for the Global Awareness portion of the 2014 Building A Better World Scholarship. Go here for Nicole’s Independent Travel Essay. 2014 BBW Winners.

Global Thoughts – “When we are young people ask us what we want to be when we grow up, we usually answer with “lawyer, doctor, singer, etc.” Most children would never answer with “traveler.” However, to be a traveler means that you are aware of the problems of other places. Taking the time to travel, and see different parts of the world is extremely important in helping the world go around. Sometimes we think that when we don’t have cell phone service we have it bad. But when you look into a different country, you see that they don’t even have drinking water for all of their citizens.”

First and Third Worlds – “To be born into a first world country has given me the opportunity to know what it is like to live “on top.” By this, I mean that I am able to know that even though most everyone has it better than I do, I know that I still have it better than people in third world countries. We need to take part and help others get to where we are today. If you look at countries in Africa, you see extreme poverty, you see that they don’t have the technology that we have, or even the human capitol. If more people would take the time to focus on someone other than themselves, then this world would be a much better place.”

My Plan – “I want to be involved with Doctors Without Borders. Being involved with a program such as this would benefit me because it will really open my eyes to show me how much we have here in America, while other countries are barely getting by. To help out in other countries is something that interests me because I want to travel and get involved with those of different cultures. I want to help make this world a better place for those in poverty, and I want to make a difference – one that will change the lives of many. Everything that I will learn throughout college will help me be able to help other people realize that they can make a difference one person at a time.”

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Nicole and her sister Shannon with the 2014 Regional Softball Trophy – an Oakridge High School Softball first ever Regional Championship.

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06/05/2014 · 8:56 am

Travis Simmons – 2014 BBW Independent Travel Scholarship

Excerpts from Travis Simmons winning essay for the Independent Travel portion of the 2014 Building A Better World Scholarship. 2014 BBW Winners.

Travel Philosophy – “Why do people travel? What experiences do people gain from traveling? Traveling to a foreign location, whether it is a city, state, country, or even a continent, may be one of the most eye-opening experiences one has in their lifetime. People may have different reasons for traveling. Some people may travel just to explore new places. Others may study abroad to expand their learning in a new environment. Maybe even some people have the required finances and overwhelming generosity to make their destination a better place to live.”

Why the Philippines? – “Traveling to the Philippines will give me the opportunity to learn about my heritage from my relatives, and give them an opportunity for me to share my experience living in the United States. This little “exchange” of knowledge between my relatives and I will be a mild form of global interaction between the two nations. Maybe I will learn a bit more of Tagalog when I get back. Through the beauty of globalization comes a possibility of bigger, developed first world countries giving assistance to smaller second or third world countries.”

Third World and First World – “Being citizens of a developed first world country, my family and I have personal obligations to give a helping hand to our relatives who live in the third world. On a small level, my grandmother sends monthly remittances to our relatives in the Philippines to help them out. I, on the other hand, would like to help out with a bigger issue: the Philippine typhoon. Not only do I want to help my relatives, but would also find it necessary to assist those who went through a devastating experience, such as losing their home.”

My Travel Plan – “My plan for travel is to travel to the Philippine Islands with my grandmother. I chose this destination because it is outside of the United States and is where most of my family resides. Another reason for going to this particular destination is to experience what it is like living in a third world country. I plan for the trip to be two weeks long in December of 2014. During my trip I would like to meet my relatives in person for the first time, explore what the Philippine Islands have to offer, and assist the victims of the typhoon with whatever they need to get accomplished. I will document the two week trip by logging in a daily journal.”