By Felix Montero

Soon, the Eagle River Area will have a new class of high school graduates. This is a time of preparation, anxiousness, and anticipation.

Each new graduate will experience a significant change, and understandably, they can be nervous about the next phase of their life, especially if they are thinking about how they are going to pay for their next level of education. We, at the Eagle River Area Rotary Club, understand and are here to help. Together, we empower Chugiak and Eagle River High School graduates by awarding academic and vocational school scholarships that will help them achieve their goals, whatever those may ultimately be.  

Each year the Rotary Club of Eagle River Area awards four $1,000.00 scholarships in some combination of academic and vocational scholarships to graduating seniors from Chugiak High School, Eagle River High School, or even those homeschooled in the Chugiak, Peters Creek, and Eagle River Area. Our academic scholarships are awarded to qualified student(s) admitted to a four-year degree program leading to a Bachelor of Arts or Science or equivalent. And since college will not be the preferred path for all, we also offer up to two Gordon Bordine Vocational Scholarships, which could be awarded to qualified student(s) enrolling in or admitted to a program of study leading to a skill or trade.  Although not required, this vocational program may be conducted at a traditional college or university.  

This year we received 14 scholarship applications.

After our Scholarship Committee reviewed each submission against our five award criteria, we are happy to announce the Class of 2019’s scholarship winners from Chugiak and Eagle River High Schools:  

• Clair Schimmack – Chugiak High School – Academic Scholarship
• Miles Dennis – Chugiak High School – Academic Scholarship
• Ashton Love – Eagle River High School – Academic Scholarship
• Katherine Horning – Eagle River High School – Gordon Bordine Vocation Scholarship

Please join us in congratulating these young men and women for having been selected as this year’s scholarship recipients.

We wish them, as well as the other 10 applicants, all great success in pursuing their future endeavors. We also invite the Class of 2020 to be ready to apply when the application window for their opportunities begin on March 1, 2020. Information on the online scholarship applications will be found at asdk12.org and portal.clubrunner.ca/2454.   

The Eagle River Area Rotary Club is a local organization of community leaders who come together to share ideas, solve problems, and take action. These annual scholarships are but one of many local projects and initiatives we support in the Eagle River, Chugiak, and Peter’s Creek schools and community. If you’d like to learn more about one of the largest Service organizations in the world, want to solve local and international problems, and are interested in having a meaningful impact – join us! You can find out more information about your local Rotary Club at www.eagleriverrotary.org or on Facebook.