Lewis River Rotary awards $22,000 in scholarships to Clark County students

BATTLE GROUND — Lewis River Rotary recently awarded $22,000 for 11 academic and vocational scholarships to graduating students from area high schools. The club has been awarding annual scholarships since almost from their founding 30 years ago.

Applications are available in local schools and online and then are reviewed by a panel of Rotarians. Applicants who pass the club’s written standards are individually interviewed and re-evaluated.

This year’s recipients will be pursuing studies in a variety of careers and vocations: biology, industrial engineering, nursing, mechanical engineering, pre-med, auto technology, journeyman lineman, physical therapy and more.

This year, Kathleen Hensch-Fleming of Lewis River Rotary submitted a grant to The Firstenburg Foundation to assist with scholarship funding. The Foundation awarded Lewis River Rotary $10,000. Club fundraising has been impacted by COVID-19, which directly impacts the scholarship program.

Recipients from Prairie High School are Ellie Durgarian, Colleen McNicholas, Ty May, and Nicholas Davis. Recipients from Battle Ground High School include Makayla Loose and Karleigh Potter. Also, Ellie Ritter and Payton Lawson from Hockinson High School, Jenna Childress from CAM Academy, James Mayhew from Columbia Adventist Academy and Abagail Wall of Seton Catholic Prep High School.

Scholarship Chair Charlie Ross stated the club has given more than $80,000 to students the last four years he’s been chair of the scholarship committee.