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The life of a high school student can be extremely stressful in this day and age. Most adults do not realize how much work goes into the successes of the average teenager. From school work to after-school sports and arts, from in-school extracurriculars to minimum wage jobs and community service, there is little time for homework, a social life, or even an adequate amount of sleep. Getting into college is tougher and more competitive than ever. The pressure to do well is immense and, unfortunately, the older the student, the harder it is to keep up.
Luckily, there is more pay off to hard work than simply being accepted into college...literally! As most know, scholarships are money that is granted to high school juniors and seniors applying to college to help them afford the cost of books, housing, and tuition. Whether you're an athlete, have a parent in the military, or even left handed, there's a scholarship available for you. There are hundreds of scholarships, ranging from small to large sums of money and availability, but the most prestigious and generous scholarships are offered to the ones who work the hardest.
The Marshall H. and Nellie Alworth Memorial Fund is among those scholarships.
The Alworth Scholarship was established in 1949 by a man named Marshall W. Alworth. He wanted to form a scholarship as a memorial to his parents, whom it is named after. This fund is specifically for graduating seniors who plan on pursuing a math or science- related degree. The founder's desire was to help fund the education of careers that would be beneficial to humanity.
The best part about this scholarship is that, unlike most, it is not a one-time payment. Recipients of this fund will receive $5,000 for up to four years that they are in college, given that they comply with the following: maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.85 as a freshman. The student must also obtain a GPA of 3.0 for the following years, and also must continue to major in an approved science or mathematical field of study.
This particular scholarship has many requirements that apply to "over-achievers," however, they are not impossible to reach. A composite score of 25 or higher on the American College Test (ACT), being ranked highly in one's class scholastically, and being projected to graduate in the top 20 percent are the academic necessities, along with a promising aptitude in the field of mathematics or science. There are also a few non-academic requirements: you must be graduating from a high school that is located in a county of northeastern Minnesota, be from a family whose taxable income is under $100,000 and have demonstrated qualities of character, perseverance and ambition.
Krista Soderlund and David Erickson are two former recipients of the scholarship.
David Erickson, a graduate of Ely High School, is a great role model for students to look up to. As a recipient of the Alworth Scholarship, David is a prime example that hard work and dedication during the schooling process can prove to be extremely beneficial in the end.
DAVID ERICKSON )
Generation W: What is your major?
David Erickson:
My majors are Aeronautics and Astronautics
GW: Where are you attending college?
DE: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
GW: What sort of extracurricular activities did you participate in during high school?
DE: National Honor Society, prom committee, golf, and cross-country skiing.
GW: What inspired your interest in aerospace engineering, math, or science?
DE: I was challenged by my
high school math and sci-
ence classes and found a liking in them from the beginning.
GW: What career opportunities do you see for students who are strong in math and science?
DE: I believe there is a great opportunity for students who are strong in math and science including multiple jobs in engineering and astrophysics.
GW: Where so you see yourself in 5 years from now?
DE: I hope to see myself finding a job in the aero/astro field and hopefully working for NASA.
GW: Knowing what you know now about going to college, what advice do you have for high school students today?
DE: Apply for every scholarship that you can, and follow your passion no matter where it may take you.
KRISTA SODERLUND )
Krista Soderlund is a 2001 graduate of Cotton High School. Since then, she has achieved a B.S. in Space Science and Physics from Florida Institute of Technology and UCLA. She is currently pursuing a career in planetary science where she will be studying and researching planetary physics.
Generation W: What surprised you most about college?
Krista Soderlund: Not a lot except moving from Cotton to Florida. There were a lot more people and also a big change in weather.
GW: What inspired your interests in Mathematics/Science?
KS: It started when I was a little kid, visiting planetariums and looking at the Auroras at night.
GW: What career options are there for students who are good at math and science?
KS: Math and science are so versatile that you could go in any direction that you want, but you need to be hardworking.
GW: How have high school extracurriculars helped you in getting where you are now?
KS: They've taught me everything from how to be self disciplined, determined, and dedicated to how to manage my time and work well with others.
GW: What are some results of your determination?
KS: As of right now, my career is going exactly as planned. One year, I tried for lots of internships and received none. The next, I had ten to choose from.
GW: What advice, if any, do you have for students still in high school?
KS: To try to take as many math and science classes as possible, shoot for AP courses, and get involved in extracurriculars and community projects in your area. They look great on college applications and you learn a lot by being involved.
Both Krista and David make it quite clear that a strong desire to succeed is the key element to achieving any goal. They decided early on that they wanted to pursue their interests and they made it happen. It may have taken them a while to get to where they are, but they are both well on their way to reaching their goals.
It's also obvious that it's highly important to be involved in school and community activities, but it has to be for a significant amount of time. In other words, there is no possible way to slack off in school up to one's senior year and then expect to make up for those lost years by working hard for a short amount of time. A student must become involved in both his or her school and community as early as possible; the more, the better! A high school student should begin preparing for college as early as their freshman year, and possibly even before. Some colleges are becoming so competitive that they are beginning to look beyond what a student did in their high school freshman year.
It's not too late for any high school student to begin working towards his or her goals. Everyone has potential. The only ones who don't are those who waste their efforts and don't work towards their goals, let alone, even have goals. Hard work may not pay off right away, but it will in the long run. Even if one doesn't exactly know what they want to study, he or she should still become involved in a wide amount of activities. It's surprising to find what one might become interested in, but one will never know if he or she doesn't try.