Holmstad residents award scholarships to local high school seniors
Residents at The Holmstad in Batavia awarded nine scholarships totaling $9,750 to senior high school students who work in dining services at the retirement community.
"These scholarships are a wise investment in the future," said Residents Association Scholarship Committee Chair Pierre Croissant. "We're proud of these young men and women, and we wish them much-deserved success in their academic pursuits. We'll miss their smiling faces and the joy they bring to The Holmstad."
Three students each received a $1,250 scholarship. From Batavia High School, Nicholas Cedro will study mechanical engineering at Iowa State University, Ames; and Ashley White will study nursing at Carroll University, Waukesha, Wis. From Kaneland High School in Maple Park, Similoluwa Ayegbusi will pursue a degree in paralegal studies at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill.
Six students from Batavia High School each received a $1,000 scholarship. Christopher Dardano will study aerospace engineering at Iowa State University; Natalie Hong will study psychology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Bloomington; Sean Lirot will study business and finance at University of Missouri, Columbia; Alyssa Rose VanKempen will study either sonography or healthcare to become an diabetes educator at Waubonsee Community College; Emmanuelle Samsami will study music therapy at Waubonsee Community College; and Annamarie Smith will study geriatric nursing at Texas Tech University, Lubbock.
To select the winners, the committee reviews each student's transcript, autobiography, and recommendations from two teachers, a counselor, and their Holmstad supervisor. Several sources fund the scholarships, including The Home Store, which sells gently used furniture and household items, and the annual Holiday Bazaar, which features a wide variety of crafts, homemade baked goods and more.
The presentation of awards took place on May 4. Each recipient was introduced and recognized by the community and their peers. Award recipients and their families enjoyed dinner with residents and the Scholarship Committee and stayed after to visit with residents and staff.
Holmstad residents began the scholarship program in 1991. Since then, residents have awarded more than $124,000 to graduating high school seniors who have worked in the community's dining services department for at least six months.
The Holmstad is a faith-based, nonprofit continuing care retirement community located at 700 W. Fabyan Parkway, Batavia. It is administered by Covenant Retirement Communities, a ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church, and one of the nation's largest nonprofit senior services organizations. For more information on The Holmstad, call (877) 226-7310 or visit www.TheHolmstad.org.