(Canton, OH) July 11, 2019 – United Way of Greater Stark County’s Young Leaders Society (YLS) will recognize three Textbook Scholarship recipients at a reception at the United Way offices on Friday, July 19. Each student is eligible to receive a total of $4,000 ($1,000 per year) to offset the cost of books for college.
This scholarship initiative is part of the recently revised education focus that YLS adopted last year. This year’s application process was opened to any graduating high school student in Greater Stark County that was the first in their family to attend college. The three scholarship recipients for this year are Sage Hester, Joseph Knopp and Evahanna Cruz.
Sage Hester is a 2019 graduate of McKinley Senior High School and a member of CAMP. Sage’s application shared her passion for turning her struggles into motivation for giving back to others in her community. Through volunteering as a mentor and tutor to children at JRC Learning Center, Sage learned valuable life lessons that have helped to shape who she is today. She plans to become a chemical engineer with a focus on pharmaceuticals, so she can research Alzheimer’s in the hopes of finding a cure.
Joseph Knopp is a 2019 graduate of East Canton High School as class salutatorian and student council president. Joseph’s application shared how he found an amazing support system through his school that helped him to foster his academic success while overcoming obstacles along the way. He is not only a talented athlete, but also dedicated to serving his community through multiple volunteer opportunities. Joseph plans to attend Walsh University to major in Finance and Management with a minor in Entrepreneurship.
Evahanna Cruz is a 2019 graduate of Early College High School as well as a four-year Honor Roll student. Her application shared her determination to turn her dreams into reality through hard work and inspiring others. Through work with her church group, she discovered her purpose to reflect love and care for others. Evahanna wants to help make her community a better place for both her family and those around her. Through a double major in Biology and Forensics at The Ohio State University, she plans to pursue this goal.
“We are seeing a real passion for education and community through the scholarship applications and YLS is so proud to be able to support these three local students as they continue to pursue their dreams of higher education. We look forward to continuing this scholarship initiative for many years to come, “says Felicia Fullerton, YLS Steering Committee member.
For more information regarding Young Leaders Society, contact Laura Prengaman, Director of Corporate and Volunteer Engagement at 330-491-9953 and [email protected].
About Young Leaders Society
United Way’s Young Leaders Society is a group of passionate young
professionals who come together to educate, engage and inspire individuals across
Greater Stark County. They harness their time and talents through mentorship,
fundraising and volunteerism to activate education initiatives and build a
better community. Education
sets the foundation for the future, and it is the area where they believe they
can make the greatest impact. As young leaders, their personal and professional
success would not have been possible without support from mentors, teachers and
advocates who helped them along the way. Now they’re paying it forward for the
next generation. More information is
available at www.uwstark.org/young-leaders-society.
About
United Way of Greater Stark County
United
Way of Greater Stark County fights for the health, education and financial stability
of every person in every community. We win by living United. By forging
unlikely partnerships. By finding new solutions to old problems. By mobilizing
the best resources. And by inspiring individuals to join the fight against
their community’s most daunting social crisis. Our mission is to improve lives
by mobilizing the caring power of our communities in Greater Stark County. In
order to live better, we must live United. For more information about United
Way of Greater Stark County visit www.uwstark.org. Offices are at
401 Market Avenue North, Suite 300, Canton, Ohio 44702. (330) 491-0445.