As Park seniors prepare to begin their post-secondary journeys, the Dollars for Scholars program is stepping up to bridge the financial gap and celebrate the hard work of the graduating class. Beyond providing needed funds to help students manage the rising costs of education, the program serves as a powerful testament to the community’s commitment to the youth.
Science teacher Peter Dangerfield said financial support, such as gifts and scholarships, is essential for students to manage the overwhelming costs of secondary education. He said access to funding is a universal necessity for all students pursuing these studies.
“Any gift, any scholarship is gonna help with the massive amount of fees that you encounter,” Dangerfield said. “Every single kid is gonna need money to pay for secondary school and that’s just a fact.”
According to senior Christian Rivero Sandoval, scholarships reward students by providing financial support tailored to their specific talents and strengths. This allows students to earn necessary funding by leveraging what they are already good at.
“The scholarships do a good job at playing to the strengths people have and helping them earn money for it. For example, I got one for soccer,” Rivero said.
Senior Audrey Mancini said everyone should apply for scholarships because it provides a much simpler alternative to the difficult process of searching for funding independently. She said the approach saves significant time and effort by streamlining the search for financial assistance.
“I would say everybody should apply because it is such a very easy way (to help pay for a post-secondary education), because it’s hard to dig through and find (scholarships on your own),” Mancini said.
According to Dangerfield, the most significant aspect of these scholarships is the meaningful recognition students receive for their hard work. He said it is profoundly impactful for young people to witness their community support them.
“More importantly to me than the dollar amount is that these kids are being recognized for what they’ve done,” Dangerfield said. “The community coming out and supporting the students, it’s hard to put in words how fortunate it is for these kids.”
Rivero said a scholarship from within their own community gives a student a deep sense of pride and validation. He said being recognized by a local organization feels personally meaningful, much like being noticed by a hometown team.
“It feels good to receive a scholarship from within the (Park) community, especially for me because it’s a local soccer team, so I feel proud to be on their radar,” Rivero said.
According to Mancini, hearing stories about alumni consistently giving back to the community serves as a powerful testament to the lasting impact of these programs. This cycle of generosity inspires both current students and the community by proving that their support creates meaningful change.
“You hear stories of how people are coming back from (different) classes and you hear about these people giving back constantly. I think that’s very powerful for not just students, but also the community to know that they make a difference,” Mancini said.
