2015 scholarships announced

Lyons Community Foundation Scholarship Fund Awards Seven Scholarships in 2015

The Lyons Community Foundation recently awarded $7000 in scholarships to local area standout students to aid in their pursuit of higher education. The attributes of the LCF mission statement can be found in all the applicants for this year’s scholarships. The LCF exists to “improve the quality of life, build a culture of giving and encourage positive change for the Greater Lyons Area”.  During the selection process for the 2015 scholarships one application reviewer commented “I am no longer afraid of the future.” This speaks highly of the dedication and hard work of not only these students and their parents but all the teachers and staff along the way.

In 2009 the Lyons Community Foundation began offering scholarships to Lyons area graduating seniors with a single $500 scholarship. On May 12, 2015 the LCF awarded $7000 in scholarships to seven Lyons graduating seniors. To date, $18,000 in total scholarship funds have been awarded to 21 college bound students.

The Lyons Community Foundation Scholarship, new for 2015, was awarded to Emily Schneider. Emily will be heading to Dartmouth College this fall, majoring in Biochemistry and Political Science. This scholarship will be renewable for up to three years and to be eligible a student must have proven leadership experience, achieved academic excellence, and demonstrated community-mindedness.

The Lyons Community Foundation Scholarship in Memory of Steve Ralston was established in 2009. It honors Lyons resident and business owner Steve Ralston and is awarded to students who best express their passion for learning and sharing one’s interests, skills, and joyful life experiences with their community. The 2015 recipients are Kate Berreman , majoring in Marine Biology and Environmental Sciences at Western Washington University and Madison Wright, majoring in Musical Theater at Hofstra University.

Established in 2014, the Gerald Boland Memorial Scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate a passion for learning and a passion for their community. Gerald Boland died during the September 2013 flood near his home in Lyons. He taught in Lyons for 31 years, 5 years at the high school and 26 years at the elementary school. In addition, he served as a mentor to many of Lyons youth as a basketball coach for 23 years and as a Boy Scout Leader. His dedication to the Lyons community was just as unwavering as his dedication to education. Recipients of the 2015 Gerald Boland Memorial Scholarship are Jenna Anderson, who is majoring in Biomedical and Biochemical Engineering at Colorado State University and Mikayla Roth, who is majoring in Materials Engineering at the University of Minnesota.

The Joel Mack Memorial Scholarship recognizes a student who has participated in sports, and serves as a role model of good sportsmanship. It honors the memory of Joel Evan Mack, a Lyons High School alumni and a student at Northeastern Junior College. The Mack family had sponsored the Joel Mack Memorial Scholarship at Lyons High School through 2013. In 2014 the Mack family graciously gave the sponsorship of the scholarship to the Lyons Community Foundation who is proud to continue Joel’s legacy at Lyons High School. The 2015 recipients are Lauren Simms and Zach Christiansen. Lauren will be pursuing a major in Criminal Justice University of Northern Colorado and Zach a major in Journalism and Technical Communication at Colorado State University.

The Lyons Community Foundation is proud of the accomplishments of these seven students, as well as the accomplishments of all the students who applied for the scholarships. These scholarships are made possible through the generous donations of members of the Lyons community.  If you would like to support the scholarship program and help a student achieve their dream of a college education your contributions are greatly appreciated. To donate to any of these scholarships, please go to www.LyonsCF.org and click on the DONATE NOW button and indicate if you would like your support applied in memory of Steve Ralston, Gerald Boland, Joel Mack, or the General Scholarship Fund.  Donations may also be mailed to the Lyons Community Foundation, PO Box 546, Lyons, Colorado 80540.

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