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 7 -- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., (TMS) rewarded 100 high school seniors with $1.12 million in college scholarships for their commitment to education and community service at an awards banquet tonight.
The winners, who make up the eighth class of Toyota Community Scholars, were chosen from a pool of nearly 10,000 students nationwide nominated by their schools. To be eligible, students must be proven leaders both in the classroom and in their communities.
Based on its accomplishments, the 2004 class learned at an early age that "giving back" to the community was not an obligation, but, rather, a way of life. As one Scholar, Alejandro Farias of Los Angeles, put it: "I take great satisfaction and pleasure from helping those in need and discovering how much of a positive outcome one individual can have on society."
For the 2004 class, their dreams of making a difference became reality through programs ranging from providing free music lessons to children from low income and Latino families, to a youth anti-tobacco campaign that has reached as far as India, to a 53-day cross-country bicycling trip that raised nearly $100,000 toward the fight against multiple sclerosis.
"These students are America's leaders of tomorrow," said Michael Rouse, TMS corporate manager of philanthropy and community affairs. "It is amazing to see what they have accomplished at such a young age. It is even more exciting to imagine their possibilities for the future."
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 2004. Since the Toyota Community Scholars program began in 1997, TMS has awarded $8.96 million in scholarships to 800 students across the U.S.
Julie Slater, a Toyota Community Scholar residing in Gilbert, Ariz., is a prime example of the dedication to community service exhibited by this year's class. Through her leadership and effort, nearly 500,000 children in several African countries have received the Stay Alive HIV/AIDS prevention program. In addition, the program has received requests from African governments to expand it to 1.7 million children.
Consequently, Slater, like many of the Scholars, found community service to be the roadmap to what she wants to do in the future. "My goal is to develop the legal skills essential to navigate international documents and draft effective U.N. policies so I can help advance the rights of children throughout the world and fight against poverty and disease."
The Toyota Community Scholars program is administered 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 tonight at an awards banquet in Louisville that was attended by education, community, business and government leaders. Eric Saperston, a young filmmaker whose credits include, "The Journey: Reflections from the Road," was the featured speaker.
The two-and-a-half-day program included a tour of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc., in Georgetown, which builds the Camry, Avalon and Solara vehicles. In addition, the Scholars cruised the Ohio River on the Belle of Louisville (a historic paddle wheeler), as well as participated in a "ride and drive" that put them behind the wheel of three Toyota vehicles: the Scion xA and xB, plus the new hybrid Prius.
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the United States, marketing products and services through a network of 1,415 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers in 49 states. Established in 1957, TMS and its subsidiaries also are involved in distribution logistics, motor sports, R&D and general aviation. The company's main website is www.toyota.com .
2004 TOYOTA COMMUNITY SCHOLARS
CITY HIGH SCHOOL
ALABAMA
Elijah W. Riddle Trussville Jefferson Co. International
Baccalaureate School
ALASKA
Hannah B. Carlson Copper Center Kenny Lake School
ARIZONA
Taylor B. Morris Mesa Dobson High School
Julie A. Slater * Gilbert Gilbert High School
CALIFORNIA
Laurel A. Barchas * Truckee Tahoe Truckee High School
Michaell Caswell La Canada Flintridge La Canada High School
Alejandro M. Farias Los Angeles Theodore Roosevelt High School
Shadi Gholizadeh San Jose Notre Dame High School
Vicki Mach San Francisco Lowell High School
Martina J. Murialdo * Westminster Los Alamitos High School
Victoria V. Tate Long Beach Long Beach Polytechnic High
School
Amy R. Unterman Pacific Palisades Concord High School
COLORADO
Jesse G. Snyder Pueblo Pueblo East High School
Eric A. Szabelski Divide Woodland Park High School
CONNECTICUT
Erik J. Davidson Monroe Masuk High School
DELAWARE
Meghan Pasricha * Hockessin Sanford School
FLORIDA
Jessica A. Flores Aventura Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior
High School
Jorge Suarez Miami Southwest Miami High School
Roberto Travieso Miami Miami Coral Park Senior High
School
Ryan M. Wisnoski Crescent City Crescent City Junior-Senior
High School
GEORGIA
Ting Cheng Dalton Dalton High School
Katherine B. Oliver LaGrange LaGrange High School
HAWAII
Natalie K. Kamauoha Laie Kahuku High School
IDAHO
Mallory K. Davis Boise Borah High School
ILLINOIS
Shoshanna M. Barnett Wheeling Wheeling High School
Hanna A. Sufrin Glencoe New Trier Township High School
INDIANA
Jason D. Crowe * Newburgh Home Schooled
Blair S. Glasgo Guilford East Central High School
Kavya S. Vaidyanathan Granger Penn High School
IOWA
Christopher S.
Gensicke Cedar Rapids John F. Kennedy Senior High
School
Kimber Lockhart * Ames Ballard High School
KANSAS
Jennifer P. Powell Leavenworth Leavenworth Senior High School
KENTUCKY
Katherine E. Klem Louisville Assumption High School
Evan M. Stewart Frankfort Western Hills High School
LOUISIANA
Andrew H. Clayton Alexandria Alexandria Senior High School
Shayla R. Price Thibodaux Thibodaux High School
MAINE
Mariah S. Evarts * Yarmouth Saint Paul's School,
Concord, N.H.
Laura K. Stein Rockport Camden-Rockport High School
MARYLAND
Samuel Alemayehu Beltsville High Point High School
Jessica M. Laws Salisbury James M. Bennett High School
Letitia V. Robson Towson Towson High
MICHIGAN
Kathryn E. Huston Royal Oak George A. Dondero High School
Tyler R. Spalding Coleman Coleman High School
Matthew F. Zitzmann Lake Orion Lake Orion Community High
School
MINNESOTA
Alexander C. Gioe Apple Valley Eastview High School
Lenay C. Olsen Fridley Fridley Senior High School
Jennifer M. Taves Wadena Wadena/Deer Creek High School
MISSISSIPPI
Mylinh D. Ngo Greenville Washington School
MISSOURI
Stephanie M.
Janzekovich Bolivar Bolivar R-I High School
Krysta L. Kauble Kansas City Park Hill High School
Leah C. Swaney Columbia Columbia-Rock Bridge Senior
High School
MONTANA
Tessa Moeckel Bozeman Bozeman High School
NEBRASKA
Leann M. Bolte McCool Junction McCool Junction High School
NEVADA
Brent J. Pirruccello Reno Bishop Manogue Catholic High
School
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Bryan P. Moles Amherst Souhegan High School
NEW JERSEY
Nikhil Devulapalli Kendall Park Kendall Park Learning Center
Rachael E. Massell Glassboro Glassboro High School
Vivien K. Sun Parsippany Parsippany High School
NEW MEXICO
Jordan S. Strebeck Clovis Clovis High School
NEW YORK
Emily E. Cullings Castleton On Hudson Catholic Central High School
Adam S. Faye * Wantagh Wantagh High School
Christina E. Galati Glen Head North Shore High School
Alexander J. Lopez Sleepy Hollow Sleepy Hollow High School
Jason Ve Queens Village Francis Lewis High School
NORTH CAROLINA
Stesha A. Doku Charlotte Myers Park High School
Rita N. Lozada * Siler City Jordan Matthews
NORTH DAKOTA
Tasha K. Tonnessen Towner Towner High School
OHIO
Amy B. Dannemiller Pickerington Liberty Union High School
Katherine A. Finlay Bay Village Bay High School
Katie M. Rapking Cleves Taylor High School
Kristen L. Stryker * Canton Canton South High School
OKLAHOMA
Robert K. Alderson * Muldrow Muldrow Senior High School
Jessica R. Martin Oklahoma City Westmoore High School
Ann M. Nawotka Choctaw Christian Heritage Academy
Kadin H. Scott Norman Norman High School North
OREGON
Camden G. McClelland Cove Cove High School
Michelle A. Steward * Eugene Elmira High School
PENNSYLVANIA
Lauren R. Jacobson Monroeville Gateway Senior High School
Abbie L. Klinghoffer Huntingdon Valley Abington High School
PUERTO RICO
Rosally N. Bisbal Aguadilla Benito Cerezo High School
Lisandra Santiago Caguas Jose Gautier Benitez High
School
SOUTH CAROLINA
Brandie N. Howell Rock Hill South Carolina Association of
Independent Home Schools
Jessica A. Rivers Manning Crestwood High School
SOUTH DAKOTA
Abigail A. Howell Volga Sioux Valley High School
TENNESSEE
Carlin M. Longley Signal Mountain Baylor School
TEXAS
Ankur S. Gupta Plano Plano West Senior High School
Travers J. Johnson Quitman Quitman High School
Kevin N. Kalra Houston Langham Creek High School
Joshua G. Kempf Castroville Medina Valley High School
Juliana W. Mulholland Houston Clear Lake High School
Sidney S. Ouyang Sugar Land Stephen F. Austin High School
Lawren D. Wellisch San Antonio Winston Churchill High School
UTAH
Rachel E. Dunham Green River Green River High School
VERMONT
Alyson H. Richards Wells River Oxbow High School
VIRGINIA
Cherelle P. Gaines Fairfax Station Milton Academy, Milton, Mass.
Rajiv S. Srinivasan Roanoke Roanoke Valley Governor's
School
WASHINGTON
Paul J. Counts Prescott Prescott High School
WISCONSIN
Ryan C. Dietzman Plover Stevens Point Area Senior
High School
Jenny M. Werwie Kenosha Mary D. Bradford High School
WYOMING
Charee A. Neves Otto Burlington High School
* National winner - $20,000 scholarship
All others receive $10,000 scholarship
2004 TOYOTA COMMUNITY SCHOLARS
Community Service Snapshots
Following is a small sampling of community service projects performed by the 2004 class of Toyota Community Scholars (more detail can be provided upon request; student interviews can also be arranged):
* Organized a 53-day cross-country bicycling trip aimed at raising
awareness of two neurological disorders - multiple sclerosis and
fibromyalgia syndrome. Traveled 4,000 miles from Washington State to
her home state of Maine, raising nearly $100,000. (Mariah Evarts,
Yarmouth, Maine)
* As an Emergency Medical Services volunteer, this Scholar saw firsthand
how many senior citizens suffered serious injuries in bathtub falls.
For that reason, he founded Make a Tub Safe for Seniors (MATS),
convincing several local companies to donate a total of 500 bathtub
mats to the program; he then distributed the mats to elderly throughout
the community. (Adam Faye, Wantagh, N.Y.)
* Helped create a radio program aimed at Latino youth. The program,
Grito Juvenil (Teen Shout), was the first Latino radio program in her
community. A native of Mexico who has been in the U.S. only a few
years, she said the main achievement of the program has been to
motivate students and search for opportunities to increase education
levels among Latinos and reduce the dropout rate. (Rita Lozada, Siler
City, N.C.)
* Through his READ (Reading Encourages All Dreams), this Scholar has
paired over 200 high school mentors with elementary students. Now in
its fourth year, the READ mentors not only work on reading skills, but,
also, discuss such topics as the importance of academics, how to handle
peer pressure, and avoiding drug and alcohol abuse. READ has also
provided the children's section of the local public library with nearly
$15,000 for the purchase of books and computers. (Robert Alderson,
Muldrow, Okla.)
* Created an organization that goes into youth correctional facilities
and works with troubled children, teaching them how to garden, as well
as how to "give back" to society through the donation of food to the
needy. The program is in 12 youth facilities in Ohio; last year, it
involved 240 young inmates who grew 3,000 pounds of produce that was
donated to local food banks. (Kristen Stryker, Canton, Ohio)
* After suffering the loss of her father, this Scholar noticed her grief
was met with silence when she returned to school. That personal
experience led her to help create the Courageous Kids Theatre Troupe.
The troupe performs a theatrical production about death and grief for
teens, hosting a discussion period afterwards. The group has performed
for over 40 schools, with audiences ranging from 25 to over 300
students. In addition, it has acted out its message to parent-support
groups, plus numerous conferences for teachers, counselors and
physicians. (Michelle Steward, Eugene, Ore.)
NOTE TO EDITORS: *Upon request, digital photographs of individual Scholars can be sent electronically. Please e-mail request to: aeggers@guthriemayes.com