All committed to County colleges
Contributed photoThe Aroostook Aspirations Initiative has announced the 2016 Gauvin Scholars. The nonprofit organization has selected 20 Aroostook County high school seniors to receive a $1,000 scholarship from Aroostook Aspirations Initiative to aid in their first year of college. Each will also receive a $1,000 scholarship matched by their Aroostook County college to go toward their second academic year.
In order to qualify as a Gauvin Scholar, students must attend one of the four colleges in Aroostook County as a full-time student, have a desire to live and work in Aroostook County after completing their secondary education and demonstrate financial need. AAI also gives preference to students who are first-generation college students.
Scholarship applications were scored and selected by a volunteer board of 16 professionals, educators, business and community members. Many local and state businesses such as Pineland Farms, Bangor Daily News, WAGM-TV, Katahdin Trust Company and The Aroostook Medical Center have committed to supporting Aroostook Aspirations Initiative for five years and receive a scholar in their name. Health Services Foundation provides an additional scholarship, and The Hampton Inn in Presque Isle “adopts” Gauvin Scholars by sponsoring their scholarship.
The 2016 Gauvin Scholars are as follows.
Those planning to attend the University of Maine at Fort Kent include: Savannah Flint of Ashland District High School; Molly Anthony, 2016 Pineland Farms Gauvin Scholar, of Central Aroostook High School; Sarah Watt, 2016 Bangor Daily News Gauvin Scholar, of Fort Fairfield Junior/Senior High School; Samantha Williams of Hodgdon High School; Kaitlyn Condon, 2016 Gauvin Scholar adopted by Health Services Foundation, of Houlton High School; Megan Cole, 2016 Katahdin Trust Company Gauvin Scholar, of Katahdin High School; Mariah Lane of Southern Aroostook High School; Kelsey Farr of Washburn District High School; and Brittany Corey of Washburn District High School.
Those who will attend the University of Maine at Presque Isle include: Meghan Everitt, 2016 WAGM-TV Gauvin Scholar, of Fort Fairfield Junior/Senior High School; Mariah Boyd of Houlton High School; Mandie Morin of Madawaska High School; Kyle Rider, 2016 Gauvin Scholar adopted by Hampton Inn, of Presque Isle High School; Liam Daniels, 2016 Gauvin Scholar adopted by Hampton Inn, of Presque Isle High School; and Emilia Churchill of Washburn District High School.
Scholars planning to attend Northern Maine Community College include: Stephanie Currie, 2016 Gauvin Scholar, adopted by Hampton Inn, of Caribou High School; Bailee Getchell of Easton Junior/Senior High School; Kaitlyn Parady of Fort Fairfield Junior/Senior High School; Haley Perkins of Presque Isle High School; and Jarrett Olson, 2016 The Aroostook Medical Center Gauvin Scholar, of Washburn District High School.
The new scholars will have a chance to meet each other and last year’s scholars during the AAI’s Scholar Weekend in July. During the weekend, the newly chosen will attend trainings to prepare them for college, while the 2015 contingent will primarily focus on professional development trainings that prepare them for the workforce.
For more information about Aroostook Aspirations Initiative and the Gauvin Scholars, visit gauvinfund.org or contact AAI Executive Director Kristen Wells at (207) 760-0558 or info@gauvinfund.org.
Donations to support Gauvin Scholar programming are always accepted and can be mailed to Aroostook Aspirations Initiative, 26 North St. Box 138, Presque Isle, ME 04769.
