Nineteen scholarship candidates for 2012 were recognized for their commitment and service to the Greenspring community at an awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 23.  All will receive $6,000 ($750 per semester) if their final semester grades meet the criteria of a C average. The scholarships will be paid directly to their colleges per semester.

Greenspring has awarded scholarships since 1999 to local high school students who have worked in various dining service capacities at the retirement community. The scholarships are presented to reward exemplary students who have shown a commitment to serving the Greenspring community and its residents.

Eligible students must have worked at least 1,000 hours at the community during their junior and senior years of high school. They must have achieved satisfactory grades and have maintained a disciplinary record free of adverse actions at their high school.  

Additionally, the students submit an application, complete an essay, participate in interviews with the Greenspring Resident Philanthropy Committee, and obtain two letters of recommendation. 

Greenspring's 2012 scholars are:

Hiba Ahmed - Hayfield Secondary School

Michal Ande - Hayfield Secondary School

Daniel Bangura - Robert E. Lee High School

Rohina Bayat - Robert E. Lee High School

Jonathan Cooke - Robert E. Lee High School

Karen Dang - Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Vania Espichan - Robert E. Lee High School

Kenneth Green - West Springfield High School

Martha Haile - West Springfield High School

Paul Handy - Hayfield Secondary School

Leilani Jackson - Thomas A. Edison High School

Austin Kaminski - West Springfield High School

Jusu Koroma - Robert E. Lee High School

Rendha Maharosa - South County High School

Mariam Nabizad - Robert E. Lee High School

Cindy Nguyen - Robert E. Lee High School

Nadia Ramos - West Springfield High School

Chanel Thompson - Robert E. Lee High School

Jessica Watts - West Springfield High School

Three years ago, the scholarship amount was increased from $4,000 to $6,000 per student ($750 per semester). The community is currently in the process of creating a Scholars Fund Endowment in order to establish larger scholarships for the future. The funds for the scholarships are raised from voluntary donations made by residents, resident clubs and staff members at Greenspring. 

Throughout the past 13 years, Greenspring has raised $1 million for the Scholar’s Fund.

Jessica L. McKay, Public Affairs Manager for Erickson Living at Greenspring and Ashby Ponds communities, provided this information to Patch.