Category Archives: Uncategorized

06/17/2019 · 12:23 pm

Nicole Ortiz – 2019 Independent Travel Award

Below are excerpts from Nicole Ortiz’s winning essay for the Independent Travel portion of the 2019 Building A Better World Scholarship. Go here to find the 2019 Building A Better World Scholarship Award Winners…

I would love to travel to Nepal…If I had the opportunity to travel anywhere in the world, I would love to have the opportunity to contribute to a good cause that would also benefit me. This is why I would love to have the chance to travel to Nepal and volunteer in the refugee camp through the International Volunteer HQ. This would give me the most amazing gift of being able to experience cultures first hand and bring awareness to the refugee crisis. …I would bring my best friend Hanna Kirschner with me because I know that we share similar philosophies on travel and global awareness. Also because we have always talked about how badly we have wanted an opportunity to volunteer outside of the country, so now is our chance.

I want to capture their stories… “I am interested in going to the camp in Kathmandu and through the program; I would go for a two-week stay. These are people that many in the world see as a nuisance or are often just misunderstood. While I am there, I want to capture some of their stories and make podcasts to show the world, or at least Wolf Lake, the truths behind these people. People who are seeking safety. People with nowhere to go. People who are displaced. People who have had their homes taken from them…”

The world must act.. “…Many of them are in these camps for years; their lives set on pause, for who knows how long. The least I can do with an opportunity to travel is to seek awareness for people who need it the most. These are basic human rights that they are losing, and the world must act, not just view.”

We… “In order to build a better world, people need to think of life in more of a “we” concept and not so much as “me”. By this I mean, instead of thinking about where you can vacation, given all the options in the world, we must think about others and who we can reach with such a rich opportunity. Nepal to me has it all, the ability to help others while still enriching me with its vibrant culture, and even providing the opportunity to bring my message home as well. If we all practiced this we would build a better, more understanding world.”

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and check out Nicole’s plans… “I will be attending Oakland University in the fall to pursue a bachelors degree in Journalism. Once I graduate I hope to become a travel journalist. I have always been fascinated with being a travel journalist because this way I will be able to bring stories to the surface of those who need to be heard the most. I believe that in this way we become more globally aware. Traveling to me is also an opportunity to help those who weren’t fortunate enough to be born in a first world country. This is why this trip to Nepal is such a big deal and focused around helping in a refugee camp along with sharing their stories. I can’t wait to see what this world has in store for me.”

Thank you for your support through the years.

Together We Can

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Filed under Building A Better World Scholarship, Uncategorized

· 11:48 am

Hanna Kirschner – 2019 Global Awareness Scholarship

Below are excerpts from Hanna Kirschner’s winning essay for the Global Awareness portion of the 2019 Building A Better World Scholarship. Go here to find the 2019 Building A Better World Scholarship Award Winners…

I need to expand my bubble… “In order to fulfill my personal responsibility of being globally aware, I feel that I must continue to do three things throughout my life: I must be kind to everyone, no matter their differences, I must immerse myself into other cultures, even if it puts me outside of my comfort zone, and I must learn everything I can about anything I don’t know already. I need to expand my bubble as far as I can to become the best person that I can.”

Be kind… “The first step to being globally aware is to be kind to everyone, to see someone that might not look like you or have the same things that you do and not treat them any differently than anyone else. I think that this is the most important thing you can do, but you must do it consistently.”

Just jump in and do it… “You also have to be able to push through your comfort zone into customs and cultures that are not like your own. Being open to try new things, new foods, new experiences is so important, especially if it is hard for you to understand a culture without being apart of it…That is something I need to work on; I am pretty good at observing, but I need to teach myself to take risks, to just jump in and do it.”

Lastly, I simply need to learn “…Living in a world that is constantly changing, you must be constantly learning or you’ll fall behind. You can always learn about different cultures, different people, different lives. They expand your mind. They make you more aware. Learning is never a bad thing to do; it is how you grow as an individual. You must take in everything you can, analyze it, and propel yourself off of it at every opportunity.

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and check out Hanna’s plans… “Although I ultimately wanted to go away to college, I chose to attend Muskegon Community College first with the Muskegon Promise to really figure out what I want to do with my life, what I want to become. As of right now, I plan on studying psychology, unsure as to what specific field I want to go into, but I want to learn as much as possible to fully take advantage of this opportunity. Maybe psychology won’t be what’s best for me, but I will figure it out eventually. All I know for sure about my future is that I am going to travel as much as possible and learn from every person I meet, to expand my bubble as far as I can, while I’m here in this world.”

Hanna at Dexter Baptist Church in Montgomery Alabama. Spring 2019.

Thank you for your support through the years.

Together, We Can.

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Filed under Building A Better World Scholarship, Uncategorized

06/05/2019 · 10:18 am

2019 Scholarship Winners

Nicole, Hanna, Madison, and Halle

Please stay tuned for individual bio’s and updates on our 2019 Scholarship Winners, as well as excerpts from their winning essays. You may still donate to this years Scholarship recipients.

Thanks…

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04/17/2019 · 2:58 pm

Past Winners / Current Donors

The very best feature of our Scholarship is the fact that so many past winners donate to the new winners. 34 of our past Scholarship winners gave in 2020. Ain’t that GREAT!

Some of these kids can barely scratch two nickels together…and yet they send ten or twenty bucks to the new crop of winners. Others ,who are on their way to a career that provides them some financial freedom give more. Some graduates have donated every single year since they won. And some, like Jordan “Holter” Milham c/o 2007, Dominque “Jessen”Bunker c/o 2014, and Paula Shay c/o 2015 are members of our Board of Directors.

Below I am proud to recognize a very special group of individuals – our Donor / Scholarship Winners for 2020.

2004 – Nick Waldo, Angela “Vitto” Swanson, Shannon “Smith Stuhan

2005 – Lyndsey “Gibson” Bensil, Amanda Taylor, Kendall Tejchma

2006 – Kristen Peabody, Lyanne Wesley

2007 – Jordan “Holter” Milham, Sarah Stewart

2009 – Tyler “Darnell” Dair

2010 – Ariel Burrington, Nyssa Swanson, Shelby “Cardinal” Dryer

2012 – Sam “Fox” Allman

2013 – Sara Musser, TeAnna Friday

2014 – Travis Simmons, Dominique “Jessen” Bunker

2015 – Victoria Mueller, Ivy Lewis, Paula Shay

2016 – McKenna Whipple, Savanna Cooper

2017 – Catherine Jenkins, Madison Dutton, Marek Brott

2018 – Sunny Ross, Kennedy Mapes, Shaina Benedict

2019 – Hanna Kirschner, Madison “Sahagun” Bisson, Nicole Ortiz, Halle Jennings

Thank You Guys

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· 10:40 am

FAQ – Applying for the Scholarship

Apply Today for 2019 BBW Scholarship – Go here for Scholarship Application Guidelines.

Suggestion: If you intend to apply for the Building A Better World Scholarship it is suggested that you review this link to learn all that you can about the scholarship and about how past winners found success.

Frequently Asked Questions:

#1 – Who Donates to the Building A Better World Scholarship – Answer: All sorts of folks. Teachers; current and retired, High School, Middle School, and Elementary. Community Members. Businesses – local and national. Ex-students. And best of all ex-scholarship winners. Last year we had 108 donors. Please go here for a list of everybody.

#2 – What separate scholarships make up Building A Better World? Answer: #1 Global Awareness. #2 Community Involvement. #3 Independent Travel. We award three separate scholarships. To know the specific requirements for each of the awards, go to the linked Scholarship Application Guidelines, above.

#3 – Can I apply for multiple scholarships? Answer: YES. You may win only one, but you may apply for one, two, or all three scholarships.

#4 – How long should my essay(s) be? Answer: Read the Scholarship Guidelines page linked above for requirements in regard to your specific essay. However, in regards to length successful applicants in the past have submitted essays between one and two pages.

#5 – What type font and size and spacing should I use for my essay? Answer: Read the Scholarship Guidelines page linked above for requirements in regard to your specific essay.

#6 – How significant is grammar and spelling? Answer: Vital. As with any essay that you submit for school or work, have somebody review your essay for grammar and spelling. This is a $3000 scholarship. Edit. Edit. And. Edit.

#7 – Who selects the winners? Answer: A Panel of Ten Donors, including current and retired Oakridge High School and Middle School teachers, a parent from the community, and past student scholarship winners, meet, read, and discourse to decide winners. PS…if you are a past scholarship recipient, and you would like to serve on this year’s reading committee, please contact Mr. Wood and we’ll let you know the date of our essay decision meeting.

#8 – If I am currently enrolled in the Early College Program what graduating class should I apply with? Answer: Your original class, had you not enrolled in Early College. If you win, we will hold your winnings until after you graduate from MCC, and move on to the next stop, where you may use the scholarship.

#9 – If I qualify for the Muskegon Promise, can I still win Building a Better World? Answer: YES. If you win the Community Involvement or Global Awareness portion of the the Building A Better World Scholarship and go to Baker or MCC on the Promise, we will hold scholarship earnings for you, until you move onto to your third year of college at a new location. If you choose to continue your education at Baker, we will work with you to release funds for living expenses, prior to your Baker graduation. If we did not hold these funds from Baker or MCC, you would lose a portion of your Muskegon Promise. The Promise is a last chance scholarship, so any additional grants that you might earn replace the funding that you would have earned from Baker or MCC or outside scholarships. The Independent Travel Scholarship is not affected by The Muskegon Promise.

#10 – What if my college financial aid department practices Aid Displacement? Answer: We will work with you to release your scholarship in separate increments, so that it is not displaced by specific college financial aid displacement practices.

#11 – If I win the Travel Scholarship when do I receive funds for travel? Answer: Read the Guidelines carefully on the Scholarship Application linked above. Because of our non profit tax exempt status we have specific requirements on the Travel Scholarship that must be fulfilled. Go here to access those specific requirements. If you win, you will be expected to thoroughly plan the trip, estimate costs, and document travel via the linked application prior to travel. These forms are necessary to comply with IRS law. They do not need to be filled out in the scholarship application process; only if you win. However, the more planning that you do on your competitive essay, the more that the selection committee will realize the seriousness of your proposal.

#12 – What should I write about in my essay? Answer: Personalize it. You may take your essays whatever way you deem most effective. It’s your philosophy. It’s your life. It’s your dreams. However, as with any essay written for submission to college, really any writing at all, tell us what you know about the individual who you know best; yourself. What is it about YOU? What have YOU done in your life? What will YOU do in your life? What moves YOU to action, to learn, to care, to make this planet a better place?

#13 – How much money is each scholarship worth? Answer: This year we hope to award $10,000 between the three scholarships.

#14 – When will I know if I won a Building A Better World Scholarship? Answer: Friday May 24. Winners will be announced at the school wide Awards Assembly.

#15 – If I win, am I required to donate to Building A Better World Scholarship in the future? Answer: NO. However, one of the coolest things about this scholarship is that past winners do donate. In 2018, 21 past scholarship winners donated to the 2018 Building A Better World Scholarship…some $10, some $20, some $100. Pay it forward baby…

…and help us to build a better world.