Toyota Awards $1.12 Million in Scholarships to
100 High School Seniors; Winners at Top of Class in Both
Academics and Community Service
LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 11 Excellence in the classroom.
Excellence when it comes to community spirit/involvement. That's the most
fitting way to describe the 100 high school seniors who have been named 2001
Toyota Community Scholars.
The Scholars program, now in its fifth year, honors those students who are
proven leaders, both in the classroom and in the communities in which they
live and serve. The winners -- who were selected from a pool of over 13,000
applicants nominated by their schools -- were awarded $1.12 million in college
scholarships today by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS). The
scholarships are valued at $20,000 or $10,000 each, over four years, for study
at a four-year college or university starting in the fall of 2000.
Since the program began in 1997, Toyota Motor Sales has awarded
$5.6 million in scholarships to 500 students across the U.S.
"These students all have one thing in common: they not only excel in the
classroom, but they care deeply about their communities and the people around
them," said James E. Press, executive vice president and chief operating
officer of TMS. "Commitment, perseverance, leadership -- these are traits
each and every one of them possess. At a young age they have had a tremendous
positive impact on their communities."
Following are just a few examples of community service performed by the
2001 class of Toyota Community Scholars:
* Created a "blanket and jacket" drive that resulted in over 100 needy
individuals receiving coats for the winter.
* Spent over 1,000 hours organizing an inner-city teen group whose mission
it was to beautify their neighborhood, as well as perform community
service.
* Through musical performances with his popular country band, raised over
$10,000 for cancer research and over $5,000 for cerebral palsy
foundation.
* Co-founded ARTS (Artists Reaching To Students/Senior Citizens) that has
reached over 6,000 people in the community, plus raised $7,000 for arts-
education programs. Program focuses on indigent elementary-school
students, rehabilitation patients and nursing-home residents.
* Founded "Children's Time," a volunteer program benefiting the patients,
parents of patients at a local children's hospital. Program allows
parents to have personal time away from the hospital while their child
is paired with a volunteer close to their age. The program, which has
the support of the Kiwanis club, may soon spread to other children's
hospitals across the country.
* Devoted over 5,000 hours toward formation of "Kids Bridge Foundation,"
which utilizes youth volunteers and the power of technology to aid
seriously ill children. Responsible for uniting over 1,000 students
from 50 schools to raise money for a Ronald McDonald House.
* Immigrant student created "Crossroads," which not only provides tutoring
in the English language, but helps new bilingual students get acclimated
to American culture.
* Co-founded "Project Hope," which uses high school volunteers to raise
money and perform work for local charities. Group raised over $10,000
for the American Cancer Society, plus $3,000 for the American Heart
Association. In addition, teens were responsible for rebuilding the
home of a low-income family, started a reading program for children, and
held numerous food/clothes drives for the homeless.
* Created "Hearts for Healing" fund-raiser for children's hospital.
* Convinced more than 60 high schools and thousands of students to
participate; first year resulted in over $20,000 being generated and
donated to hospital for "care and research."
The Toyota Community Scholars program is managed by Educational Testing
Services in Princeton, N.J. The 12 national winners ($20,000 each) and 88
regional winners ($10,000 each) were selected by a panel of college and
university admissions officials from across the U.S.
The scholarship winners were guests of honor today at an awards banquet in
Louisville that was attended by education, community, business and government
leaders. Lou Holtz, former Notre Dame football coach and current coach at the
University of South Carolina, was the featured speaker.
The two-and-a-half-day program included a tour of Toyota Motor
Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc., in Princeton, which builds the Toyota Tundra
full-size pickup truck and Sequoia SUV. In addition, the Scholars cruised the
Ohio River on the Belle of Louisville -- a historic paddle wheeler -- attended
college preparation seminars and participated in a community service project.
NOTE: A list of Toyota Community Scholars is below.
2001 TOYOTA SCHOLARS
CITY HIGH SCHOOL
ALABAMA
Kerry L. Robinson Spanish Fort Daphne High School
ALASKA
Kathleen H. Peters Kenai Kenai Central High School
ARIZONA
Anne M. Sjursen Tucson Mountain View High School
ARKANSAS
Elisabeth R. Jimmerson Fouke Genoa Central High School
CALIFORNIA
Aaron F. Bianco * Richmond De Lasalle High School
Leslie S. Bishop Poway Poway High School
Robert J. Bousquet Truckee Tahoe Truckee High School
Jolene E. Collins Long Beach Long Beach Polytechnic High
Marc T. Grinberg Palo Alto Palo Alto Senior High School
Austin K. Neudecker Bonita Bonita Vista High School
Laura Palencia * Oxnard Channel Islands High School
Jason M. Payne Rosamond Desert High School
Monique E. Pruitt Altadena John Muir High School
Swati Saini Tracy Merrill F. West High School
COLORADO
Alyson D. Colver * Holyoke Holyoke High School
Nicole J. Houston Denver Thomas Jefferson High School
CONNECTICUT
Lane L. Marmon Cos Cob Greenwich High School Clark
DELAWARE
Abby L. Nerlinger Wilmington Brandywine High School
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Christopher M. Hill Washington,
D.C. Saint Anselms Abbey School
FLORIDA
Linda Arnade Palm Bay Palm Bay High School
Wendy Y. Guey * Palm Beach
Gardens Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Jacqueline L. Perlman Saint
Petersburg International Baccalaureate
Michael A. Roffino Miami South Miami Senior High
Joseph D. Siesholtz North Miami
Beach Dr. Michael Krop Senior High
Sam A. Zakkour Miami Southwest Miami High School
HAWAII
Stephanie W. Hu Honolulu University Laboratory School
IDAHO
Joseph A. Elias Idaho Falls Idaho Falls High School
ILLINOIS
Allison L. Harms Bloomington Bloomington High School
Stephanie L. Willis Newton Newton Community High
INDIANA
Lamont J. Barlow South Bend James W. Riley High School
Megan N. Wilson Greenfield Eastern Hancock High School
IOWA
Mary L. Linnenbrink Beaman Gladbrook-Reinbeck High
KANSAS
Dustin P. Froelich Lansing Leavenworth Senior High
Jeffrey M. Wheeler Mulvane Mulvane High School
KENTUCKY
Ashley E. Sullivan * LaGrange Oldham County Senior High
LOUISIANA
Claire E. Howard * Columbia Saint Frederick High School
Cambrian Y. Liu Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Magnet High
MAINE
Tracy J. Deschaine Madawaska Madawaska High School
MARYLAND
Aaron S. Merki Waldorf Maurice J. Mcdonough High
MASSACHUSETTS
Melaina A. Spitzer Cambridge Cambridge Rindge & Latin
MICHIGAN
Elliott E. Holland Ann Arbor Saline Area High School
Matthew J. Jackson Rochester
Hills Avondale Senior High School
Laura J. Warren East Jordan Concord Academy Boyne
MINNESOTA
Maya A. Babu Eagan Eagan High School
Michael J. Radmer Red Wing Red Wing High School
MISSISSIPPI
Sangita Goel Jackson Saint Andrews Episcopal
Ashley A. Jackson Hattiesburg Hattiesburg High School Blair
MISSOURI
Katherine M. Fernandez Kirkwood Kirkwood High School
Matthew T. Johnson Lexington Lexington High School
MONTANA
Jaci L. Hawley Hays Dodson High School
NEBRASKA
Marcy M. Bluvas * Omaha South High School
NEVADA
Jacob R. Hicks Las Vegas Western High School
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Nicholas R. Hoff Hollis Saint Paul's School
NEW JERSEY
Tanushree Dutta Highland Park Highland Park High School
Sara M. Fernandes Hopatcong Hopatcong High School
Abimbola D. Okeowo Montclair Montclair High School
Justin V. Reed Lawrenceville Lawrence High School
Wilfred M. Yeung Berkeley
Heights Delbarton School
NEW MEXICO
Margaret A. Mosher Gallup Gallup Catholic High School
NEW YORK
Riabianca A. Garcia Brooklyn Clara Barton H.S. Health Prof.
Hallie A. Lehrman New City Clarkstown High School South
Ryan J. McDonald * Stewart Manor Regis High School
Leslie S. Miller East Setauket Ward Melville High School
NORTH CAROLINA
Christina N. Bibby Willard Pender High School
Daniel P. Parker Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant High School
Crystal R. Sanders Clayton Clayton High School
Meredith S. Swain Wilmington E.A. Laney School
NORTH DAKOTA
Russell G. Strom Bismarck Century High School
OHIO
James M. Helmink Eastlake North High School
Ryan P. Mick Grafton Keystone High School
Amber C. Stitt Hamilton Ross Senior High School
OKLAHOMA
Jared T. Cail Byars Wanette High School
Craig A. Ries Midwest City Choctaw High School
OREGON
Audrey M. Bowen Beaverton Westview High School
Kierstin L. Schmidt Gladstone Gladstone High School
PENNSYLVANIA
Vikash Bansal Hershey Hershey High School
Adam H. Figueira Brookhaven Archmere Academy
Mwanasha L. Warrakah Philadelphia G.W. Carver High School
RHODE ISLAND
Heather M. Coleman Charlestown Chariho Regional High School
SOUTH CAROLINA
Daisy M. Lundy Columbia Spring Valley High School
SOUTH DAKOTA
Danielle L. Buechler Centerville Centerville High School
Justin R. Johns Lead Lead High School
TENNESSEE
Stephanie R. Jackson Bartlett Bolton High School
Jason M. Payne Collierville Collierville High School
TEXAS
Kristin N. Dukes Greenville Greenville High School
Audrey N. Garcia El Paso El Paso High School
Aaron M. Golden San Antonio Saint Mary's Hall
Misti A. Loosier Price Carlisle High School
Jesslyn J. Lu Austin Westwood High School
UTAH
Elizabeth K. Flink Taylorsville Taylorsville High School
Jessica L. Weiss Park City Park City High School
VERMONT
Luke J. Stehouwer * Woodstock Woodstock Union High School
VIRGINIA
Tyler D. Cain * Chesapeake Western Branch High School
Mythili G. Rao Poquoson New Horizons Regional
WASHINGTON
Janiva M. Cifuentes-Hiss Olympia Capital High School
David A. Hill * Bellevue Sammamish High School
Emily Rae Lynden Lynden High School
WEST VIRGINIA
Anthony C. Gregory Hurricane Hurricane High School
WISCONSIN
Caitlin C. Madigan Cedarburg Cedarburg Senior High School
David A. Mericle * Madison James Madison Memorial
* National winner - $20,000 scholarship
All others receive $10,000 scholarship
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