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Youth

Spokane Scholars Foundation Honors Top High School Scholars in 31st Annual Banquet

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Spokane Scholars Foundation celebrated the academic achievements of high school seniors from 30 public and private high schools across the greater Spokane region at their 31st annual banquet. The event honored 160 Spokane Scholars who have demonstrated exceptional academic excellence in six disciplines. The scholars were selected based on their grades, national test scores, letters of recommendation, and other honors. The banquet featured a keynote speech by Rob Curley, executive editor of The Spokesman-Review, who emphasized the importance of being a force for good and living by the five Ps: passion, practicality, personality, playfulness, and pleasure.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Spokane Scholars Foundation has recognized over 3,500 scholars since its inception in 1993, awarding more than $1.5 million in cash awards and matches.
  • The foundation has been recognizing scholarly students who, unlike athletes, have been overlooked in the past.
  • Each scholar was recognized individually on stage, receiving a personalized Spokane Scholars medallion, and four scholars in each category received cash awards ranging from $1,000 to $4,000.
  • The top scholars in each category include Hannah Robbins (English), Jeslyn Cai (fine arts), Neha Kommareddy (mathematics), Jessica Palmer (science), Abigail Michaelis (social studies), and Kaia Olson (world languages).
  • The Spokane Scholars Foundation is committed to encouraging and nurturing a habit for learning among its scholars, as emphasized by outgoing president Eric Johnson.
  • The banquet was attended by about 800 people, including students, families, and school leaders, and was held at the Spokane Convention Center.

Statistics:

  • 160 Spokane Scholars were recognized in the 31st annual banquet.
  • Over 3,500 scholars have been recognized since the foundation's inception in 1993.
  • The foundation has awarded more than $1.5 million in cash awards and matches since 1993.
  • The top four scholars in each category received cash awards ranging from $1,000 to $4,000.
  • 14 regional universities and colleges have agreed to match the awards with a scholarship for one year.

Sources:

  • The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.)
  • Report for America
  • Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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