PORT ORCHARD — The Kiwanis Club of Port Orchard awarded $20,500 in scholarship awards to 10 area students this year.

“We had an impressive group of students apply and we are pleased to offer 10 scholarships for a total of $20,500,” said Don Grimes, chairman of the Kiwanis Club of Port Orchard Scholarship Committee.

“I’m proud to say that our club awards the highest amount of scholarship money in the South Kitsap community,” Grimes said.

The Kiwanis Club of Port Orchard partners with South Kitsap School District in a variety of ways including a scholarship program. The club invited students and their families for a recognition luncheon May 30 and also presented certificates to the winners at Laurels Night at South Kitsap High School.

Here are the 2018 scholarship winners:

• Nolan Winn: Dr. Dewayne Gower Kiwanis Memorial Scholarship, $3,000;
• Andrea Scolari: Alice Watson Kiwanis Scholarship, $3,000;
• Patrick Johnson: Tom Stansbery Kiwanis Memorial Scholarship, $1,500;
• Garrison Glisson: Richard Lundberg Kiwanis Scholarship, $1,500;
• Mason Eaglin: Kiwanis of Port Orchard Club Scholarship, $2,500;
• Naia Kennedy: Kiwanis of Port Orchard Club Scholarship, $2,000;
• Lauren Cooke: Kiwanis of Port Orchard Club Scholarship, $2,000;
• Charlotte Swanson: Kiwanis of Port Orchard Club Scholarship, $2,000;
• John Olson: Kiwanis of Port Orchard Club Scholarship, $1,500, and;
• Alexis Mercer: Kiwanis of Port Orchard Club Scholarship, $1,500.

Along with the scholarship program, the Kiwanis Club of Port Orchard members are involved in a variety of projects and community service programs that assist children locally and worldwide, including:

• The kindergarten reading program, which began at Sunnyslope Elementary in 1993, now operating in nine out of 10 elementary schools in the South Kitsap School District;
• Terrific Kids, which has operated since 2002 in all 10 South Kitsap elementary schools. Students are recognized for outstanding citizenship and awarded with a certificate, pencil, magnet and “Proud Parent of a Terrific Kid” bumper sticker (a favorite among parents);
• To the Library Reading Project sponsors all third-grade students in South Kitsap schools with the opportunity to visit the Kitsap Regional Library for a behind-the-scenes tour. Each student learns how to use the library and leaves with their own library card;
• Students of the Month are recognized at the club’s luncheon from the school district’s three middle schools and South Kitsap High School. High-achieving students are invited to lunch with their families, recognized and given cash awards;
• The Bike Rodeo has been supported by the Kiwanis Club of Port Orchard for many years. In partnership with other local agencies and Kiwanis groups, the Port Orchard club has provided free helmets and fittings to more than 2,000 toddlers and children, given away 400 gently used bikes and instructed more than 1,500 children in basic bike safety;
• The Builders Club was formed in 1999 and includes between 15 to 20 Cedar Heights Middle School students, who provide more than 200 hours of community service annually.

In recent years, the club has helped with the kindergarten reading program, Special Olympics, Bike Rodeo, Relay for Life, Senior Conference at the Pavilion and Cedar Heights Clean-Up Day.

For more information on the Kiwanis Club of Port Orchard, visit the club’s website at kiwanisclubofportorchard.org.

Scholarship Chairman Don Grimes introduces scholarship winners in attendance at a May 30 luncheon by the Kiwanis Club of Port Orchard. (Kiwanis Club of Port Orchard photo)