Rotary Club announces scholarships

Published 8:16 pm Saturday, May 18, 2013

The Suffolk Rotary Club has awarded its annual Rotary Community Service Scholarships to eight students — a boy and a girl from King’s Fork, Lakeland and Nansemond River high schools and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy.

The recipients are as follows:

King’s Fork High School

Miguel A. Ramos III

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Ramos is ranked 11th out of King’s Fork’s 362 graduates with his grade-point average of 4.06. He has participated in varsity indoor and outdoor track and field, varsity cross-country, Future Business Leaders of America, Key Club and National Honor Society. He received the Bulldog Sportsmanship Award several times, was MVP of the cross-country team in 2011, earned the Academic Award Varsity Letterman four years and attended the American Legion Boys’ State in 2012. He is actively involved at First Baptist Church in the youth choir, youth usher, audio ministry and mime ministry. He has worked at the Chesapeake Square Chick-fil-A.

Laura Claire Smith

Smith will graduate as the valedictorian of King’s Fork High School with her 4.56 grade-point average. She is an International Baccalaureate Diploma candidate. She has participated in the International Club, Senior Class Council, IB Student Advisory Board and as a peer mediator. She received the Suffolk Youth Leadership Award, a Pilot International Outstanding Achievement Award and a bronze medal in the National Spanish Examination. She is a twice-published poet and plays the piano. She is a certified peer educator with the Virginia Tidewater Consortium for Higher Education and the Bacchus Network. She was a member of the Peanut Festival Court in 2012. She has been involved in and volunteered for a number of community programs, including the Suffolk International Youth Association, Save the Children Foundation, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Growing Up at Obici child care program and the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. She will attend the University of Virginia.

Lakeland High School

Calvin Bowe Jr.

Bowe has amassed a 4.1 grade-point average in his high school career. He participated on the Superintendent’s Advisory Council, made honor roll and perfect attendance his entire high school career, was secretary of the Men of Distinction, earned the Pilot Award and Youth Citizenship Award and was recognized for Youth Mentoring Month. He participated in the HOSA Cavalier Challenge and is involved at his church, serving on the male chorus, finance committee, technology committee, hospitality committee, pastor’s aid committee and usher board. He will attend Chowan University.

Sierra Leickert

Leickert has achieved a 4.409 grade-point average. She is a member of the National English Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society, Senior Beta Club, Future Business Leaders of America, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Anchor Club, Yearbook Club and senior class officer. She was the co-MVP for varsity swimming and was a two-year varsity letterman for soccer. She was a student ambassador for People to People. She volunteered for numerous organizations and activities, including the Anchor Club, Pilot Club of Suffolk, Suffolk Partnership for a Healthy Community, Read Across America Day, Toys for Tots, soup kitchens, blood drives, book drives, neighborhood cleanups and more. She was a member of the Peanut Festival Court in 2012 and received the South of the James Chapter William and Mary Book Award. She will attend the University of Virginia.

Nansemond River High School

Heather A. Davis

Davis currently has a 3.98 grade-point average in her coursework, which has included seven honors courses and five Advanced Placement courses. She was one of 20 selected nationwide for the BASF Chemical Company Science Academy, participated in the Eastern Virginia Medical School Explorers Program and was nominated to the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine. She served on the Suffolk Public Schools Superintendent Student Advisory Committee, played junior varsity and varsity basketball and tennis, played the violin in the orchestra, participated in Key Club and Future Business Leaders of America, sang in the youth church choir and has worked at U3C Italian Ice Café and at Firehouse Subs.

William C. Goodman Jr.

Goodman has maintained a grade-point average of 3.0 or better throughout his high school career. He has participated in ROTC, where he has attained the rank of major. He played junior varsity and varsity basketball, volunteered for a Thanksgiving food drive and a youth summer camp at his church, and participated in several basketball camps. He has earned certificates for Air Force JROTC training, his first solo flight in JROTC, earned an award in the Best of the 757 Basketball Camp and been awarded by the Hampton Roads Committee of 200+ Men Inc.

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy

Jared Lawrence Goldbach Ehmer

Ehmer has maintained a 3.88 grade-point average at NSA. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Connecting with Kids Club and the HIV/AIDS Awareness Club. He received the Salute to Youth Certificate of Merit from the Pilot Club, is a member of CICADA, an environmental service, cleanup and restoration organization, and appeared in promotional videos for American Red Cross blood donation. He has built sets and stages for RPM Dance. He will attend the University of Richmond.

Jennifer Johnson

Johnson has an 89.46 academic average on a 100-point scale. She is a member of the first-place winning concert and marching bands and also participated on the pep band, French Club and merit roll throughout high school. She has been involved in community projects like community gardens, church food pantries, delivering food to homeless shelters, sending care packages to troops, going on a mission trip to Guatemala and volunteering at the animal shelter. She will attend Virginia Tech.