Grayslake Rotary Recognizes High School Merit Scholarship Winners
Posted by Mike Kukulski
on Aug 5, 2012
Denise Kindle hosted the two winners of this year's Grayslake Rotary Club merit scholarships at the July 30th meeting. Joining us for lunch was Grayslake North winner Jessamyn Larsen, along with her father, Tom, and Grayslake Central winner Carolyn Kick, and her mother, Kris. Jessamyn and Carolyn were selected by our club's scholarship committee as the most accomplished and deserving from a slate of 12 super-qualified applicants. As usual, the young people competing for our scholarship from both high schools have all distinguished themselves through exemplary academic achievement and extensive extracurricular involvement. They all deserve scholarship awards, but we can only choose two each year for special recognition.
Jessamyn distinguished herself at Grayslake North through her accomplishments as 1st chair tuba in the symphonic band, as a member of the Marching Knights, Pep Band, and Jazz Ensemble (2nd part trombone), as a Winter Guard member, math team member, and pit band member for North/Central production. She has participated in Hawaii Youth Symphony, Concert Orchestra, Hawaii Central District Honor Band, and Hawaii Select Band II. She has also worked as a summer teen staff member for the Navy MWR day care center. While maintaining such a busy musical and service schedule, she has also excelled in school, earning a 3.798 cumulative GPA. Jessamyn plans to major in music education, with an instrumental emphasis, at Vandercook College of Music in Chicago, and wants to teach music to middle or high school students.
Carolyn Kick (left) and Jessamyn Larsen visit the Grayslake Rotary Club
Carolyn's standout characteristic at Grayslake Central has been her commitment to community service. While maintaining a rigorous academic schedule and earning a 4.314 cumulative GPA, she has served as VP for National Honor Society, VP for the Class of 2012 (student council/government), founded and led the National Organization for Women Central, and was involved in Key Club, Link Crew, and Brothers and Sisters United. Via her Public Service Practicum class, she has put in over 200 hours of community service, including fundraising for breast cancer research, collecting school supplies for underprivileged children, running a school talent show, and increasing awareness of pediatric cancer. She has worked at Save-A-Pet, volunteered at Grayslake Park District programs, and has helped at senior citizen lunch services. She was selected to attend the 2011 Fox Valley Leadership Conference. Carolyn will be attending Carthage College in Kenosha to study Political Science/Government, Women's and Gender Studies, and Secondary Education, and plans to follow that with graduate school and a career in government, advocating for charitable organizations and founding her own non-profit organization.
Congratulations to both of these great young ladies for their accomplishments to date, and best of luck to them as they pursue their dreams!
Jessamyn distinguished herself at Grayslake North through her accomplishments as 1st chair tuba in the symphonic band, as a member of the Marching Knights, Pep Band, and Jazz Ensemble (2nd part trombone), as a Winter Guard member, math team member, and pit band member for North/Central production. She has participated in Hawaii Youth Symphony, Concert Orchestra, Hawaii Central District Honor Band, and Hawaii Select Band II. She has also worked as a summer teen staff member for the Navy MWR day care center. While maintaining such a busy musical and service schedule, she has also excelled in school, earning a 3.798 cumulative GPA. Jessamyn plans to major in music education, with an instrumental emphasis, at Vandercook College of Music in Chicago, and wants to teach music to middle or high school students.
Carolyn Kick (left) and Jessamyn Larsen visit the Grayslake Rotary Club
Carolyn's standout characteristic at Grayslake Central has been her commitment to community service. While maintaining a rigorous academic schedule and earning a 4.314 cumulative GPA, she has served as VP for National Honor Society, VP for the Class of 2012 (student council/government), founded and led the National Organization for Women Central, and was involved in Key Club, Link Crew, and Brothers and Sisters United. Via her Public Service Practicum class, she has put in over 200 hours of community service, including fundraising for breast cancer research, collecting school supplies for underprivileged children, running a school talent show, and increasing awareness of pediatric cancer. She has worked at Save-A-Pet, volunteered at Grayslake Park District programs, and has helped at senior citizen lunch services. She was selected to attend the 2011 Fox Valley Leadership Conference. Carolyn will be attending Carthage College in Kenosha to study Political Science/Government, Women's and Gender Studies, and Secondary Education, and plans to follow that with graduate school and a career in government, advocating for charitable organizations and founding her own non-profit organization.
Congratulations to both of these great young ladies for their accomplishments to date, and best of luck to them as they pursue their dreams!