Seattle–Forty-three high school students in the Puget Sound area who have parents actively serving in the military are sharing $50,000 in scholarships from Ford Motor Company Fund through Operation Education. Winners were announced in December at a ceremony at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton.
A $5,000 Blue Oval Scholarship was awarded to Camdon Hatch, Central Kitsap High School, the first-place winner. Second place winner was Laura Landro of Klahowya Secondary School who received a $2,500 scholarship. The remaining 40 winners each earned scholarships of $1,000. The scholarship will be paid directly to the college or university in which the winner intends to enroll.
“It is our privilege to provide educational support to students from military families who sacrifice for our nation,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “We are pleased to bring this program to the Puget Sound area after starting it in San Diego last year.”
With support from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation, the program’s contest administrator, winners were selected based on the students’ essay answers to this question: What have you learned from having a family member in the service, and how has this impacted your goals and plans for the future?
National Veterans Transition Services Inc. also is involved in Ford Fund’s scholarship program. NVTSI helps veterans make a successful transition from military service to civilian life through its REBOOT Workshops and other initiatives.
“NVTSI is proud to team up with Ford Motor Company Fund to help promote this opportunity for students of military families to have a brighter future,” said Maurice Wilson, president and executive director, National Veterans Transition Services Inc.
Since 1974, Ford Motor Company and Ford Fund have donated more than $8 million to organizations supporting veterans. This includes grants for the purchase of more than 170 vehicles for the Disabled American Veterans fleet, which provides free transportation to medical visits for disabled veterans and scholarships for DAV student volunteers.
