Nine outstanding Carbondale Community High School (CCHS) students have earned merit-based scholarships from the Garwin Family Foundation (GFF) to attend highly selective enrichment programs in STEM and the Fine Arts.
Marsha Ryan, MD, JD, FACS, and GFF Director: “This is the GFF’s 7th year of sponsoring some of the brightest and most dedicated CCHS students in science, math, and the arts. It is our privilege to know them and to be able to contribute to their learning this summer, despite challenging times. As might be expected, in order to keep young people at a distance from one another on campuses across the country, all the programs have made the transition from on-campus to on-line learning. We were disappointed that the sense of academic community and independence generally achieved with visits to prestigious campuses would be missing for our students. However, schools have created virtual avenues for socializing and making discoveries with one another. We believe the opportunity for “stretch” learning at a distance will be invaluable for our sponsorees.
This group of exceptional students is a tribute to CCHS, its faculty, leadership, and staff, which provides them with such extraordinary structure here at home. We are proud of the work CCHS does, and we are certain these students will be well-prepared to make a difference in the world.”
The 2020 sponsorees are:
- Maya Benyas, senior and third time GFF recipient, who is enrolled in Berklee Boston Conservatory’s Film Scoring 101
- Alexander Brown, junior, who is enrolled at Rhode Island School of Design
- Charlie Du, CCHS junior and third time GFF recipient, who was again accepted into the Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists at Boston University
- Lauren Fakhoury, sophomore, who is enrolled in Michigan Math and Science Scholars Program and will be studying Brain and Behavior
- Longmei Ge, a junior and second time GFF recipient who will attend Stanford University’s Materials in Science and Engineering course
- Jason Qin, sophomore, who is enrolled in Awesome Math’s Computational Geometry and Algebra 1.5
- Michelle Wang, a sophomore, who is enrolled in Stanford University’s AI4ALL
- Sophie White, senior, who will attend SAIC’s Animation and Video Projects and Advanced Painting and Drawing courses
- Elaina Xiao, a sophomore, who is enrolled in Stanford University’s Introduction to Programming
The GFF program has a lasting impact on recipients. It enhances their academic and artistic excellence through advanced studies in an area of proven ability and interest, provides a competitive edge in college applications, and readies them for college life through the development of time-management and independent living skills (this year replaced with independent study skills). Previous scholarship winners have pursued undergraduate majors in the area of their GFF-sponsored programs, and several have attended the elite university where they participated in summer enrichment activities.
Superintendent Stephen Murphy states, “I am beyond grateful to the Garwin family for their continued generosity and perseverance in these challenging times. The GFF’s Student Sponsorship Program for Talented Students in Arts, Sciences, and Math provides CCHS students with truly life-changing opportunities at a pivotal point in their development. The need to educate and develop our students has not gone away during the pandemic, and our students are incredibly fortunate that the Garwin family continues to provide these scholarships.” CCHS Principal Ryan Thomas adds, “Thanks to the Foundation’s financial sponsorship, our students will have the opportunity to learn, create, and immerse themselves at some of the most distinguished academic institutions in the country. Their experiences at these institutions will open countless doors and create endless opportunities. It will also put CCHS students on display as some of the strongest in the country.”
The GFF, a tax-exempt operating foundation based in Carbondale, IL, was established in 1993 by Leo and Ruth Garwin. The Foundation’s principle objectives are furthering student and fostering achievement in the arts and sciences, humanities, law, and medicine. In the nearly three decades of its operation, it has underwritten many education programs; its latest being the CCHS Student Sponsorship Program for Talented Students in Arts, Sciences and Math.
For more information, contact Lori Merrill-Fink, GFF Student Sponsorship Program Administrator at lomerfi@outlook.com.
