Seven Black Hawk County High School Students Receive Mother Moon Service Scholarship
CFNEIA
June 28, 2021
The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA) has awarded the 2021 Mother Moon Service Scholarship to seven rising high school seniors in Black Hawk County who have given of themselves through community service.
Students receiving the 2021 award include: Nathan Anderson from Waterloo West High School, Jersie Benson from Waterloo East High School, Marysofi Gutierrez Perez from Columbus High School, Gabe Hanson from Union High School, Beau Smith from Hudson High School, Kara Van Sickle from Waterloo Christian High School and Alexandra Williams from Cedar Falls High School.
“Congratulations to the 2021 Mother Moon Service Scholarship recipients who exemplify the spirit of service and have contributed to the betterment of their local community through the gift of time,” said Tom Wickersham, program director at the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. “It is exciting to see these qualities in our local youth who will become our next generation of leaders.”
The Mother Moon Service Scholarship is managed by CFNEIA and awarded annually to one junior from the following eligible high schools: Cedar Falls, Columbus, Don Bosco, Dunkerton, Expo Alternative, Hudson, Union, Valley Lutheran, Waterloo Christian, Waterloo East and Waterloo West. Students are selected in the spring of their junior year, and then during their senior year, they serve on a service club to promote and participate in community service. Scholarship recipients receive a $1,000 scholarship check sent directly to the students' college or university in the fall of their first year.
Mother Moon, as she was commonly known, raised not only her 10 children, but was a de facto mother to many poor, disadvantaged and other neighborhood kids, including Ike Leighty, who established the Mother Moon Service Scholarship to honor her memory. Mother Moon was born in 1880 and died in 1956. She lived most of her life in Macomb, Illinois, but her impact on the lives of others reached far beyond this little town. One man who grew up as one of her extra children said, "God used Mother Moon to put His arms around a lot of people." Many lives were shaped and enriched by her quiet heart. Hers was truly a successful life.
The 2022 Mother Moon Service Scholarship application process will open January 10, 2022. Students interested in applying for the scholarship should visit the website at www.cfneia.org/mothermoon to view the scholarship criteria, procedures and to access the online application. The application requires basic student information, academic information, summary of details about volunteer experience, a photo of the student volunteering and two letters of recommendation.
For more information about scholarship opportunities, please contact Tom Wickersham at 319-243-1356 or twickersham@cfneia.org.
