LANSING, Mich. — Four recent high school graduates have each won a $2,500 college scholarship through LAFCU’s Write to Educate Essay Contest.
The winners are Abigail Payment, Ovid; Adam Eichenberg, St. Johns; Madeline Smith, Grand Ledge; and Jack LaFevre, South Lyon.
Typically, two winners are selected for this annual contest, but with the state’s stay-at-home orders closing schools and interrupting seniors’ final classes, traditions, graduation ceremonies and possibly college plans, LAFCU said it decided to support more graduates.
“The pandemic has been a huge disruptor in the lives of these students just as they are beginning to pursue their post-high school aspirations,” said Kelli Ellsworth Etchison, LAFCU chief marketing officer and chief diversity officer. “We decided we could do more to help this year’s graduates. They have dealt with a great deal of uncertainty; we wanted to provide some financial stability.”
The winners were selected based on their one-page essays about the role of technology in their lives and its positive or negative effect on personal safety.
Part of the contest is for each winner to select a charity to receive a $500 donation from LAFCU on behalf of the winner. Expanding the number of winners also increased total charity donations from $1,000 to $2,000.
“The charitable-giving component within this contest helps demonstrate the leadership skill of ‘giving back,’” Ellsworth Etchison said. “This year has shown how important it is for those who can, to step forward and help those in our community who are hurting.”