The Farrell Agencies Community Scholarship gives students a chance to prove their dedication to their communities and get $5,000 towards their future. The first winner of the scholarship is Kaitlyn Kitzan, a Grade 12 student at Sacred Heart High School.
Jason Farrell says that the inspiration behind the scholarship is to get people, especially graduating students, to think about the communities where they live.
“People use community the time, but I am not sure how many people spend the time thinking about what community actually is, what it means, how they’re a part of it and what they can do to improve it.”
The essay that won the award answered two questions. One, what does community mean to you? Two, how will you in your next phase of life make your community a better place? Farrell says that she won the award because of her clear understanding of what community is and what she can do to improve it.
For her part, Kitzan admits she was shocked to receive the scholarship, and hopes that she is able to continue being a community-minded person.
“I’ve really dedicated my four years of high school to being the most community minded person possible. I’m really looking forward to the years to come and how I can make my community a better place.”
Kitzan’s scholarship-winning submission is as follows:
Coming from a small community, Theodore, I have been raised in a very community-minded way. Community means to me a group of people working towards a common goal. Community is about “belonging” and a place that supports me and other citizens in many different ways. I believe strongly that no matter the size of a community, it’s the people and their dedication and commitment that makes a community and its network viable.
Since a young age, I have been involved with various organizations within my local community of Theodore and Yorkton. Through the years I have been very active within my school. I believe it’s important to stay involved in order for a community to thrive. Even though I will be going to the U of S this fall, enrolled in the College of Agriculture, I look forward to returning to volunteer with the organizations and events that I am presently involved with now. That includes the Yorkton Exhibition, Ministry of Agriculture, Theodore Recreation Association, and many other organizations. In the future, I see myself in my career, returning to my community and taking more leadership roles with local organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, sporting events and teams, 4-H, and other worth while groups. I look forward to continue being an active member within this community, and working towards making our community a better place to live.
