The decision to attend college is daunting for many high school graduates. Several factors make this process challenging, but cost is a top concern for students. To ease the burden of college tuition and costs, Association House High School awarded the second annual Harriet Sadauskas Educational Scholarship. The $10,000 scholarship recognized four Association House High School Alumni. This year's winners are a combination of new and old faces. Recent graduates, Emily Vijil and Damian Arevalo, joined the Sadauskas Scholarship Alumni group. Both awardees received $4,000 each to start their college career. Last year’s recipients, Alejandra Ramirez and Ashley Roman, each received $1,000 to continue funding their education.
College seems impossible for many high school students in our community. With books and tuition on top of typical living expenses, most students simply can't afford it. So, after retiring as president, Harriet Sadauskas created the Sadauskas Educational Scholarship fund. Her goal is to help students focus on learning while relieving some of the financial burdens. As a lifelong learner, Harriet saw the importance of helping those who want to learn to take the next steps.
Harriet says, "I'm so proud of the legacy this fund has created. By investing in our youth, we are opening the doors to new opportunities and such bright futures. There's nothing more rewarding that I could ask for."
Applications for the scholarship open at the end of each school year. Students submit an essay and letters of recommendation from instructors and mentors. After reading through this year's application pool, the scholarship committee came to a decision. Four students stood out for their hard work and commitment to learning. Each recipient received a call on what seemed to be an ordinary summer evening. But to their surprise, it was a huge congratulations and lots of catching up. A few weeks later, Association House welcomed recipients to an intimate ceremony. Friendly faces from old teachers, mentors, staff, and new students greeted the awardees. A nice meal filled with great conversation followed the ceremony.
The Harriet Sadauskas Educational Scholarship has made a significant impact in only two years. Scholarship committee members are excited to continue supporting the dreams of the awardees for years to come. Association House looks forward to all the amazing things these individuals will do.
Once again, congratulations to Alejandra, Ashley, Damian, and Emily!