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The keynote speaker Samantha Stuber, College and Career Center Director at Miramonte High School, gave an inspirational speech on "The Equation to Success," addressing components that make leaders in the classroom, at home and in the workplace: service, authenticity, and learned tools, such as setting goals, communication skills, the importance of engagement and inclusion.
Stuber is a Lamorinda native who worked in several small businesses but eventually found her passion in helping students during the monumental and high-pressure time in their high school years. She continues her service by creating a website that will help students in all socio-economic levels find the scholarship help they need.
This marks the 50th year the OML Branch has supported young women in the community by awarding scholarships to senior young women. In 1968 the Orinda Branch awarded a gift certificate to the senior girl at Miramonte with the highest grade point average. Through the years, the awards and procedures have changed but the goals have remained the same.
The Scholarship Committee is committed to encouraging local, young women graduates who demonstrate academic excellence and are discovering their personal qualities through community service. While reading applications and essays is important, it is the time members spend interviewing the girls that helps decide which girl is most deserving of the award.
Three 2018 High School Scholarships of $1,200 were awarded to Zahra Hasanain (Miramonte High School), Madeline Kalil (Acalanes High School), and Audrey Moore (Campolindo High School). Samantha Purcell, a senior at Saint Mary's College, was awarded the Gayle Uilkema $5,000 Scholarship.
The awardees participated in programs that benefited their school community such as EquiTeam, Environmental Club, volleyball and track and field teams, as well as Latin Club and Public Speaking. Locally they served Be the Star You Are Charity, Lawrence Hall of Science, Project Empathy and Ronald McDonald House Charities. Moore volunteered to teach Spanish to Haitian migrant workers in the Dominican Republic and Hasanain volunteered in a hospital in Pakistan.
Thanks to generous donations, successful fundraisers and wonderful Branch volunteers, seven young women will attend Tech Trek Camp Hopper at Stanford University this July.
The 2018 Tech Trek scholarship winners are Liesel Hilkemeyer and Isabelle Katz from Joaquin Moraga Intermediate, Jada Hembrador and Maya Martono from Orinda Intermediate School, and Maggie Conklin, Ella Easley and Marianne Eichmann from Stanley Middle School. Through hands-on activities, being surrounded by like-minded girls who love math and science and exposure to women role models in STEM, these young women are encouraged to pursue science technology engineering and math careers.
These girls were chosen after a rigorous process of being nominated by their teachers, completing an application, and being interviewed by a team of three AAUW-OML members.
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA