High school seniors receive college scholarships for selfless servio By JAMIE LAMPROS Standard-Examiner correspondent OGDEN — Bonneville High School senior Jared Smith has spent the last four years involved with Sub for Santa. Ogden High School senior Zack Myers helped build a tutoring center in Ecuador. Luis Oseguera of Ben Lomond High School spent hours helping kids get hooked on fishing, not on drugs. The three students are among 10 Top of Utah high school seniors recently awarded a $2,300 Service-Above-Self scholarship to Weber State University from the Ogden Rotary Club and the Stewart Education Foundation. "Rotary is all about service so we wanted to give these scholarships to students who have shown a commitment to service whether it be in their own community or somewhere else in the world," said Rick Safsten, community chairman for the club. "This year we have some outstanding students who have done some incredible things to make a difference in those around them and our hope is that they will continue to serve throughout their lives." In order to raise money for the tutoring center in Ecuador, Myers held a yard sale that generated $5,000. Not only did he raise the money, he traveled to the South American country and helped build the two-story facility. In addition to his involvement with Sub for Santa, Smith helped organize the building, "Wall Ball" at Roosevelt Elementary School. He also participated in weekly activity night for mentally disabled adults, made hygiene kits for those in impoverished countries and participated in several other service projects. Oseguera also served at the Boys and Girls Club, Deseret Industries, Upward Bound, Ogden City Cemetery and the Salt Lake Humanitarian Center. The captain of the school soccer team said service will always be important to him. "It's the perfect chance to give back to the community," he said. "The Boys and Girls Club really helped me so I wanted to give back to them as well as to others." Shelby Jae McDowell of Weber High School made blankets for Shriner's Hospital, served at a local nursing home and the food bank. She spent over 180 hours as a peer tutor and served in many other projects at the YCC, her church and the Christmas Box House. "My mom was involved with Job's Daughters so I got involved too," she said. "She always taught me to serve and I've been doing that since I was in the third grade. I think it's very important to help others around you." Raquel Brianna Gardner, also from Weber High School served 500 hours at the YCC after school program, sent numerous letters to the military and served several hours to her church and tutoring students at Lincoln Elementary School. Hannah Brandley of Fremont High School served in several school clubs and started a recycling drive at her school. She lobbied with state legislators regarding anti-tobacco and safety initiatives, was involved with an anti-drinking initiative at the school, raised money for Sub for Santa and helped organize an Easter Egg Hunt in her hometown. Erika Galvan, also of Fremont, did service in Greece, helped elderly neighbors with yard work, raised money and purchased food and items for the needy on Thanksgiving and Christmas and volunteered as a decoy to try to purchase tobacco as an underage person in Box Elder County. Natalie Robertson, of Fremont High, shoveled sidewalks, did yard work and baby sat, all free of charge. She volunteered at Dee Elementary School, Ogden Regional Medical Center, Harrisville Heritage Days and volunteered for her church. Samantha Mosier from Da Vinci Academy was editor of her school yearbook and contributed artistic drawings, participated in a clothing drive for the YCC, worked and gathered blankets for animals at the Ogden Animal Shelter, raised money for natural disaster victims, cancer research and St. Anne's Shelter. She also developed a tutoring program through the National Honor Society. Hanna Lea of Da Vinci Academy wrapped gifts for children at St. Anne's Shelter and Primary Children's Medical Center, made coloring books for children at the Elizabeth Stewart Treehouse Museum and helped elderly people in her neighborhood. Next year, Rotary hopes to give scholarships to students who will attend both WSU and other universities of their choice. June 6, 2010 hannah brandley awarded scholarship for weber state university