Harper women's group awards inaugural $10,000 scholarship

Kayla Karbowski has found her calling at just 19 years old. The second-year Harper College student has no doubt she's meant to work with individuals who have special needs, a realization she had while working at the Northwest Special Recreation Association.

"The organization has shown me the difference I can make in a person's life and the enjoyment I get from working with children and adults with special needs," said Karbowski of Schaumburg. "To me, it doesn't feel like working."

Karbowski's commitment to helping others - on top of a 4.0 GPA and induction to the Phi Theta Kappa honors society - made her the natural choice for the HOPE Giving Circle's inaugural $10,000 scholarship. In addition to working part time at NWSRA, Karbowski, who graduated from Schaumburg High School in 2015, volunteers every weekend at Elite Stars, a special needs athletic and recreational program. She serves as a head ice skating coach and peer gymnastics coach, mostly to people with Down syndrome. She also volunteers at the Almost Home Foundation, a local animal rescue organization.

The Harper College Educational Foundation recently formed the HOPE (Helping Others through the Power of Education) Giving Circle to connect charitable-minded women with a common goal of empowering other women to reach their full potential.

The program provides financial support, ongoing mentoring and leadership development for female students who are completing their final year at Harper and continuing on to a four-year college. HOPE Giving Circle members recognized Karbowski on July 19 at a reception at Bridges of Poplar Creek Country Club in Hoffman Estates.

Kathy Gilmer of the HOPE Scholarship Awards Committee said Karbowski rose to the top because of the passion for what she's doing.

Once she graduates next spring, Karbowski plans to use the scholarship toward tuition at Illinois State University, where she hopes to double major in elementary and special education.

"This is a very substantial scholarship that makes a bachelor's degree more accessible and affordable," Gilmer said.

The youngest of three children, Karbowski said the scholarship helps to ease the financial burden from her family.

"Now I can focus more on obtaining my education rather than figuring out how I'm going to pay for it," she said.