Scholarship Making a Difference
Former Teton High student, Daniela Olivas, spoke at Rotary Club of Teton Valley’s luncheon this week about her studies and a research project she worked on the past year. Olivas was a Rotary scholarship recipient and active member in the high school’s Interact club.
Each year Teton Valley’s local Rotary club hosts between 8-10 students throughout the school year, each presenting on their experience in high school, their successes, challenges, involvement in school as well as contribution to their community. Daniela was one of these students who was chosen as a final scholarship recipient. Olivas was a recipient of a $4000 Rotary Phyllis Morey scholarship, available to students of at least fifty percent Hispanic heritage. Rotary has donated over $40,000 in scholarships to Teton Valley senior students since the program began. Olivas is just one of these students, and based on her presentation - she shows a bright and promising future.
Currently studying Biochemistry at Boise State University, Olivas was accepted as an intern to INBRE (IdeA Network Research of Biomedical Research Excellence), where she spent the summer studying the E.Coli 157 bacteria and the effects of removing an enzyme from the bacteria and then observing the effects on the growth of the bacteria. Olivas shared that the outcome of this project could lead to better treatment options for such bacterial infections.
When asked how Rotary’s scholarship benefited her education, she expressed gratitude for assistance with the expensive text books that accompany a science major. She also shared that the leadership experience she gained in Interact and exposure to “real world issues” led her to become involved in two on-campus organizations focused on helping others.