Kiwanis Club honors local students

The club held its annual scholarship breakfast on Aug. 3.

By Katie Johns
| 12:30 p.m. August 3, 2017

Longboat Key
Neighbors

A nursing school textbook could cost $500 or more.

Name Scholarship Amount School

Ja’Da Bennett $2,000 Florida Atlantic University
Mackenzie Brown $2,000 Florida State University
Megan Canevari $2,000 University of Alabama
Patch Chen $2,000 University of Central Florida
Anthony Cucci $2,000 University of South Florida
Ava Doraisamy $2,000 University of Florida
Sjondi George $1,500 State College of Florida
Emily Griffiths $2,000 University of Florida
Isabelle Griffiths $1,500 Florida Atlantic University
Joshua Guiata $2,000 Cedarville University
Kelly Halliwell $2,000 Florida State University
Coralie Jean-Mary$2,000 Howard University
Jacob Johnston $2,000 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Caroline Jungels $2,000 University of Florida
Ryan Jungels $2,000 University of Florida
Nicholas Karpathy$2,000 University of Miami
Sage Keckstein $2,000 Florida State University
Odane Lennox $1,500 State College of Florida
Bryana Mammana $2,000 University of Florida
Charles Martin $2,000 University of Florida
Amanda Moura $2,000 Florida State University
Monica Olender $2,000 University of South Florida
Bailey Pachter $1,500 State College of Florida
Emma Palmer * $2,000 University of Florida
Parth Patel $2,000 University of Florida
Angela Potier $2,000 Dartmouth College
Estefania Sanchez- Cabrejos $1,500 State College of Florida
Shelby Silvertooth $2,000 University of Tampa
Jacqueline St. John $2,000 Southeastern University
Alejandro Torres $2,000 Tallahassee Community College
Emily Waikem $2,000 University of Florida
Taylor Walter $1,500 State College of Florida
Hayden Wilder $2,000 Florida State University

That’s why students like Sjondi George, a junior attending the University of South Florida who will be buying those textbooks soon, were feeling extra grateful on Aug. 3.

The Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key awarded $63,000 in scholarships this year. Students, their families and Kiwanis Club members gathered for the annual scholarship breakfast at the Harbourside Ballroom of the Longboat Key Club.

Although not all 33 recipients were in attendance, the ones that were took turns accepting their scholarship and thanking the Kiwanis Club. More than 100 students applied for the scholarships, Susan Phillips, chairwoman of the Scholarship Committee, said.

One of the hardest parts, Phillips said, is drawing that line when you have 100 applicants. She is astounded when she thinks about how smart and involved the applicants are, which came across in her speech.

"We’re not giving you anything,” she told the recipients. “You have earned this.”

For some students, like Emily Waikem, the scholarship means getting through dental school.

For others, like Caroline Jungels, it means going to graduate school. But overall, it takes away part of the financial burden many college students bear.

“It means less debt for us and knowing we had the support of the community behind us,” Ryan Jungels said.