Diane Quinn
The Women of Quail Creek Scholarship Committee is thrilled to announce the winners of the first TWOQC Scholarship. Kayla Christiansen from Sahuarita High School and Caroline Carly Frieders from Walden Grove High School will each receive $1000 scholarships to the postsecondary school of her choice. These young women were chosen from among several scholarship applicants after a lengthy screening and interview process.
Screening of applicants began shortly after the January 31 application deadline. The committee used several criteria to select candidates to interview. Among the criteria were academic status and goals, involvement in community and school service and recommendations from individuals who have direct knowledge of the qualities and commitment to community service of each applicant. Interviews were conducted with three applicants from Sahuarita High School and three from Walden Grove High School.
Kayla Christiansen will graduate from Sahuarita High School in the top four percent of her class. She intends to study at the University of Arizona and hopes to pursue her on-going interests in the health care industry. Despite taking an extremely rigorous schedule of classes, Kayla has displayed a long-term commitment to service within her church, her community and her school. She has organized or led numerous projects within her church leading, in 2014, to her receiving the Young Womanhood Recognition, equivalent of an Eagle Scout award. Kayla is a member of the Sahuarita Education Enrichment Foundation, the National Honor Society and is the current Student Body Class President. She has received awards for her writing from the Tucson Festival of Books and the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association. She has lettered in a variety of sports and works part-time for Homewatch Caregivers of Green Valley.
Carly Frieders will graduate first in her class from Walden Grove High School. While her choice of university is still being decided, her course of study will include the pursuit of both philosophy and public policy. Carly plans to enter law school after her undergraduate studies and go on to a career in law promoting advocacy and tolerance. Carly has been a member of the Pima County Teen Court for over five years and serves as current Bar President. She is the Founder of the Walden Grove High School Gay-Straight Alliance and has been an ambassador and member of the National Advisory Council for the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network. She is also a cellist; twice selected for All-Regional Honor Orchestra and is an accomplished ballerina now teaching ballet to children through the Sahuarita Dance Center.
Clearly, involvement in both their schools and their communities is a core value of each of these young women. Kayla and Carly will be introduced to the members of TWOQC at the April 25 program when they will address the audience and expand upon how these scholarships will benefit their studies. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Madera Clubhouse Ballroom. For further information about the scholarships contact Pat Neel at [email protected].