From left: Mikaela Bacon, Jordan Charles with her mom, Josh Swift.
Thanks to some very generous donors, RAY’s Place is able to give out three academic scholarships this year.
Jordan Charles and Mikaela Bacon will each receive $5,000 each year for four years and Josh Swift will receive a one-year $5,000 scholarship.
The three successful candidates were chosen out of 43 applicants, more than ever before received during the annual intake process.
RAY’s Place scholarship selection committee chair Anna Hobbs said all three are well-rounded students with marks averaging in the 90s. They are athletic, they volunteer and show leadership qualities with high recommendations from educators.
They were scored based an academic achievement, financial need and community involvement, among other things.
“Each one comes from a single parent family and each one credited their mother with urging them on, supporting them over the years, sacrificing for them and the mothers came with them to meet the sponsors, it almost brought tears to your eyes, it was so meaningful,” said Hobbs.
The students have had an opportunity to meet their sponsors and they are encouraged to keep in touch during their time at university.
Jordan Charles graduated from Collingwood Collegiate Institute with a 92 per cent average.
Charles, a Duntroon resident who recently moved to Shelburne, is going to Brock University in St. Catharines this fall to begin working toward a BA in child and youth studies.
Charles, 17, was inspired to pursue a career in the field by her own family’s struggle to get help for her older sister, who has Asperger’s Syndrome. She saw there is a lack of help for people with autism spectrum diagnoses.
“It’s a growing concern, there are many kids being diagnosed with autism and there’s no help for them so I want to contribute to helping them,” said Charles.
“My mom is a single mom and she can’t pay for my education. Because I have to pay for my education by myself, this is a great help to be able to achieve my education. I really appreciate the RAY’s Place organization. They are a great help to kids like myself.”
Mikaela Bacon, with a 91 per cent average, is one of the top students at Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School in Angus.
The Utopia resident is taking a Bachelor of Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver this fall with the goal of becoming a physiotherapist or a sports therapist.
Initially interested in medicine, Bacon said she had second thoughts and decided to focus on physiotherapy.
“My passions include athletics. Helping people with injuries get back on their feet was my calling. I don’t know if physiotherapy/sports therapy is where I will end up, but it’s my interest now, and yes, it may change when I get to school or after first year or maybe even tomorrow, but the assistance RAY’s Place has offered me is getting me to school to get the education I need for whatever path I choose. I’m forever grateful for what they do, and I would not be where I’m headed without them,” she said.
Josh Swift, also a Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School graduate, ended the year with a 90 per cent average. He served as student council president in Grade 12 and vice-president in Grade 11.
The Baxter resident is attending Western University in London where he plans to one day major in sports medicine, physiotherapy or muscle and bone rehabilitation.
“It is a really big opportunity to help me out and getting through school. I think it’s amazing that there are people out there and organization like RAY’s Place who help students out. It really helps,” said Swift.
Swift, 18, said a football injury opened his eyes to the importance of those fields and physiotherapy played an important role in his recovery.
As an example of community involvement, Swift held a winter clothing drive. He asked the Township of Essa to donate ice time and opened the rink to public skating. Instead of charging admission he asked people to donate used winter clothing.
RAY’s Place also gave out four bursaries: $1,000 each to Davin Metheral and Sara Barbadoro and $500 each to Rebecca Redpath and Clayton Whitley.