Female students from across Whidbey Island were honored with scholarships and financial stipends April 14 by the American Association of University Women.
AAUW works throughout the year to raise funds to give $2,000 scholarships to each of the three public high schools and stipends to junior girls selected by their teachers as outstanding students in math, science and technology.
Purpose of the scholarships and awards is to support girls with an interest and strong motivation for higher education to be able to attend colleges and especially to foster those who show a talent with STEM subjects, according to the association.
Three $2,000 scholarships were awarded to:
n Amanda Hoesman-Foley, Coupeville High School, who wants to be an elementary school teacher. She is eligible for the Presidential Scholarship Award, which shows her love of academics. She has been a student body officer throughout high school. She has participated in People to People programs, learning about other cultures.
n Isla Dubendorf, South Whidbey High School, who is also a Washington Scholars Award winner. She is interested in veterinary medicine and was admitted as one of the select group of honors research students in Washington state.
n Eri Horikawa, Oak Harbor High School, who showed commitment to others by volunteering at Whidbey General Hospital and hopes to be a speech therapist after attending the University of Washington.
The association also awarded stipends for students to attend a new program called Tech Trek, launched last year to provide middle school girls with a camp experience while immersing them in science, math, engineering and technology.
Jessica Koeberle, who started the Tech Trek program, introduced the following middle school awardees: Hannah Samuels, North Whidbey Middle School; Ayla Randolph, Oak Harbor Middle School; Emma Smith, Home Connection; Anna Dion, Coupeville Middle School; and Arianna Marshall, Langley Middle School.
Teachers also nominated junior girls in high school to receive small stipends for being leading achievers in science, math and technology. The three science winners were Patricia Sabian, Oak Harbor High School; Makana Stone, Coupeville High School; and Amara Garibyan, South Whidbey High School.
Mathematics winners were Mallorie Mitchum, South Whidbey High School; Destiny Cleary, Coupeville High School; and Helena Webster, Oak Harbor High School. In technology these girls excelled: McKenzie Bailey, Coupeville High School; Katherine Matazzoni, Oak Harbor High School; and Lucy Clements, South Whidbey High School.
The girls showed a range of interests, combining humanitarian purposes with environmental and architectural interests as well as a knack for graphic design and yearbook innovations.
