(above) Summit College Club scholarship winned Emily Lamb with her family, bouquet, and scholarship.
Summit College Club Takes Scholarships Into the Sun
Organization Awards $22,000 in Open Air Ceremony
Submitted by Marylou Motto
Summit College Club (SCC) has chosen five exceptional young women from the area to receive college scholarships this year. The club has a nearly century-long history of awarding scholarships annually. Usually, the presentation is done at a Spring reception, a celebration, but given the current social distancing rules, such a gathering was not possible. Some creativity was required.
“Even though we couldn’t get everyone together, we wanted to do something memorable,” said Kathy Tatlow, who co-chairs the SCC Scholarship Committee. “After some discussion, we decided to bring the awards to the winners.”
So the Scholarship Committee made appointments to visit each of the five winners ‘at home.’ At each stop, the winner and her family came out of the front door, and a Scholarship Committee member gave a special award presentation with details about the organization, the award being given, and the reasons the recipient was chosen.
Each winning high school senior received a bouquet of flowers, an award certificate, and a check for $4,400—and all of this was done, of course, following safe distancing guidelines.
Luckily, the weather was beautiful. The sun shone, the young women and their parents were proud and happy, and the club’s members could not have been more pleased.
The Awards
Earlier this year, SCC’s Scholarship Committee had distributed applications to the guidance departments of six local high schools. Nearly 50 young women applied and wrote the necessary essay. Then the committee members narrowed the field, interviewing no less than 18 applicants by means of Zoom, and made their final decisions. It was a lengthy process. The result was five senior high school women who have outstanding academic records, diverse activities, and impressive community service.
Kyra Guenther, for example, has been student council president, president of her class, co-editor of the school newspaper and captain of a sports team—as well as playing the harp in the NJ Youth Orchestra and doing mission work in Nicaragua. From Summit High School, Kyra won SCC’s Tilla Thomas Merit Scholarship and plans to attend the University of St. Andrews to work toward a career in International Relations.
Also from Summit High School, Caroline Abut has activities ranging from grief work with children to writing published poetry, performing in theatre and musical events, and participating in speech and debate tournaments nationwide. Caroline, who won the Summit College Club Foundation Scholarship, plans to major in Psychology at Tufts University.
Sydney Villegas has taken part in and led a host of activities that raised awareness of diversity and social justice. Her guidance counselor at Kent Place High School praised “her intellect, her faith, her values, her maturity.” Sydney won SCC’s Mary K. Tennant Scholarship and will major in English Literature at Boston University.
Emily Lamb, who is graduating from Chatham High School, was praised for her scholarship, writing, and her choral work with the NJ Youth Chorus. She also works on behalf of girls with a UN coalition and has been active in a congressional political campaign. Emily won the Summit College Club Merit Scholarship and will major in Political Science at George Washington University.
Taylor Rooney, winner of SCC’s Kathi C. Madison Scholarship, stood out as a leader in her classes and school and for her community service in Ecuador and the Galapagos Island. Taylor will move from Governor Livingston High School to the University of Vermont; her goal is a career in Neuroscience.
“As wonderful as all five are, it was difficult to pick them out of the larger group. We were highly impressed by the applications we received,” said Marilynn MacLean, Committee co-chair.
Summit College Club
Founded in 1920 by a Summit High School teacher, Summit College Club is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary. “Because of the health crisis, we had to postpone many of our gala year activities,” said president Hedy Tukey. “We also had to forgo our usual week-long book sale, which normally funds these scholarships. Still, the book sale will be back next year, and we’re delighted to be able to continue our unbroken record of scholarships.”
SCC is a branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), whose mission is to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.
(above) Taylor Rooney, Summit College Club scholarship recipient.
(above) Summit College Club scholarship recipient Kyra Guenther and her family.
(above) Caroline Abut, recipient of a Summit College Club scholarship, pictured with her award and family.
(above) Sydney Villegas pictured with her scholarship award. Awards were presented to each winner at home due to the cancelation of the reception.
