Four Seniors Awarded Scholarships
SMECO Awards Give Boost to Graduates
Four high school seniors have been awarded college scholarships from Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, rewarding them for their scholastic achievement, school and community involvement, and taking into account financial need. Students Alexandra Bryant, Simran Kaur, Maria Karisma Magsakay, and De’ja McCleary each will receive a $1,500 college scholarship.
Since 1993, SMECO has awarded scholarships each year to seniors in the cooperative’s service area, for a total of 96 students.
Alexandra Bryant is the daughter of Jeff and Dara Bryant of Charlotte Hall. She graduated from La Plata High School. School counselor Kathy Reamy said, “Bryant is an extremely driven, dedicated and innovative student who has worked very hard to achieve her many accomplishments.” During high school, Ms. Bryant received Principal’s Honor Roll awards. She was involved in Student Council and National Language Honor Society and was an athlete on the varsity cheerleading squad. She volunteered at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, the Hughesville Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, and the March of Dimes, and was an activities director for Best Buddies. Ms. Bryant will study biology at the University of Maryland, and plans to attend medical school to become a doctor.
Simran Kaur is the daughter of Barinder Singh of La Plata. She graduated from La Plata High School. Ms. Kaur received accolades from Colleen Wilson, special events coordinator of the town of La Plata, who said, “Simran is a very respectful and hardworking young woman. She is a joy to work with and appreciates that we all have a role in helping our community.” Ms. Kaur can speak five languages, and she loves to read and dance. In high school, she participated in Model UN, “It’s Academic,” and Math Team. She is a member of the National Technical Honor Society, the National Honor Society, and the World Language Honor Society. Ms. Kaur has been a volunteer at La Plata Town Hall for several events, including the Fall Festival and Old Tyme Holiday Gathering. She raised $900 for cystic fibrosis research by organizing a kickball tournament, and she also organized a book swap for Read Across America day. Ms. Kaur will attend the University of Maryland to study biology, and then plans to attend medical school to become a doctor.
Maria Karisma Magsakay is the daughter of Bernard Magsakay of La Plata. She graduated from La Plata High School. Born and raised in Makati City, Philippines, Ms. Magsakay plans to attend the University of Maryland to become a nurse practitioner and specialize in family care. She would like organize medical missions in third-world countries, to provide not only help, but hope. Karissa Prigge, a church leader, describes Ms. Magsakay as being both hopeful and dedicated. “She will be an amazing success as a nurse practitioner because of her strong attention to detail, her ability to deliver truthful answers in the face of opposition, her caring nature, and her ability to sense when comfort is needed,” Prigge said. Magsakay has volunteered at Mary’s Food Pantry, Safe Nights, and Vacation Bible School at Sacred Heart Church, in addition to the Genesis Elder Care Network in La Plata. She has received Principal’s Honor Roll awards, Renaissance Awards, and academic letters during her high school career. Ms. Magsakay has been involved in the Student Government Association, Unified Bocce, and Chemathon, a team that competes with schools in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area by completing chemistry challenges.
De’ja McCleary is the daughter of Cynthia Lawrence of Prince Frederick. She graduated from Huntingtown High School. Kathleen Augustine of the Academy of Health Professions program at the Career and Technology Academy in Calvert County said Ms. McCleary is “caring, personable, and well-liked by her classmates. She consistently demonstrates dependability, reliability, and professionalism, and she is dedicated to learning as much as she can about the health care industry.” To learn about and gain skills in the health care industry, McCleary took part in a summer internship program and was a patient observation attendant at Calvert Memorial Hospital. She was a member of the Academic Team, Skills USA, and the field hockey team. She is a 4-H member in the Creative Crafters Club, the Maryland Teen Council, and the Woof Pack Dog Club. Ms. McCleary also has been involved in leadership forums at Johns Hopkins University. She will attend La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA, to study nursing and become a gerontological nurse practitioner.
SMECO provides scholarships to local students who excel in their endeavors and who show promise in their chosen field of study.
To learn more about SMECO, visit their Leader member page.
