Building a Better World

The 2009 OEA Building A Better World Scholarship winners are:

• Rebecca Houseman – Global Awareness ($1000)
• Dani Patton – Global Awareness / Travel  ($1000)
• Margarita Contreras– Independent Travel ($1000)

Congratulations to Rebecca, Dani, and Margarita.  This year we had a couple of firsts.  We gave out our first combination Global Awareness / Travel scholarship to Dani Patton for a planned semester abroad at Northern Michigan University.  And Rebecca Houseman in addition to winning her own scholarship will be Margarita’s travel companion when they go to Portland, Oregon later this summer.  Please check separate links highlighted above to get a better insight into each of these fine young graduates.  Way to go gals.

• Sam reads her winning essay – listen here 

…is taking one year off from formal study in an effort to save money and move to Portland, Oregon.  Sam is already a seasoned traveler, having participated in the Oakridge Close Up Program, the Selma Bridge Crossing tour in the Spring of 09, as well as numerous trips to Chicago in and out of school.  She has participated in civic activism in Washington D.C and in the Muskegon area.

She’s not quite sure what she will do with her life, but the West Coast of the United States is definitely calling.  She’s thoroughly researched Portland, Oregon and colleges in the near vicinity. She’s also read all of the best travel luggage reviews that might serve her well on the west coast. She plans to travel there with this scholarship, in March of 2010, in order to lay the foundation for a move later in August.  She may also stop over in Seattle for a couple of days on the trip.   Meanwhile she’s working fifty hours a week at K-Mart and banking her paychecks in order to become a future Oregonian.  She promises us lots of photos from Pacific Northwest on her return.

As of April 2012 Sam Ferrier is an official resident of Portland, Oregon.  She attends Portland Community College and works downtown at Starbucks.  

• Tyler reads his winning essay – listen here 

..will attend Muskegon Community College in the Fall of 2009.  His long term goals revolve around studies in physics, however along the way he’s dedicated himself to volunteering in his community.  In the past four years Tyler has volunteered over 300 hours primarily in the Egleston community doing everything from tutoring, campaigning, working with the disabled, bringing awareness to homelessness, painting to prevent graffiti, and entertaining the elderly.  He also is a member of the Muskegon Conservation Corps which spends an extensive amount of time and effort in protecting and preserving the Muskegon area environment.  Tyler recently traveled to Washington D.C. with Close Up where he further strengthened bonds with the national volunteer organization AmeriCorps.  Tyler will continue to volunteer as he makes his way through college, and is considering a tour in AmeriCorps somewhere along the way.

• Corey reads his winning essay – listen here

…will attend Northern Michigan University in the Fall of 2009.  He plans to major in English and minor in Musical Theory.  Corey intends on working towards a PhD with the ultimate goal of becoming a University professor.   For the past two years at Oakridge he was active in all forms of political involvement.  In the 2008 presidential election Corey was a student organizer for the Obama campaign and volunteered over 110 hours.  In 2008 he chaired the OHS Super Duper Club, which took on the Democratic Party practice of the use of Super Delegates. He spoke before Congressional delegation in Lansing challenging the practice.  In the Spring of 2009 he traveled to Selma, Alabama with Oakridge students for the Bridge Crossing Jubilee.  On May 29, 2009 Corey helped to organize a “Die In” to bring awareness to genocide unfolding in Sudan.  He works at McDonalds and can’t wait for college to start in the Fall.

The 2009 Building A Better World Scholarship Winners:

• Corey Swanson – Global Awareness ($1000)
• Tyler Darnell – Community Involvement ($1000)
• Sam Ferrier – Independent Travel ($1000)

Congratulations to Corey, Tyler, and Sam.  This was one of our finest years for quality essays.  The choices made were difficult, however we are extremely pleased with the final results.  Please check separate links highlighted above to get a better insight into each of these fine young graduates.  Way to go guys.

Please go here to meet the 2018 Building A Better World Scholarship winners…