Scholarships recognize students who face adversity

By Ekhlas Abdullahi

Business Manager

The OAKS Scholarships, which was originally known as Beat the Odds. OAKS stands for Overcoming Adversities Keeping Strong.

This scholarship was created to inform the community about the struggles many students face and to help those students succeed. This scholarship has been sponsored by many local companies and business, and it has also raised money through silent auctions. It began 18 years ago, and since then, more than $200,000 have been awarded to more than 100 students.

There a couple of qualifications that must be met to apply for this scholarship. First, they must be either a high school senior or a current RCTC student. They must plan to attend RCTC prior to RCTC graduation, or if they are already enrolled, to continue attending RCTC. All applicants must be nominated or recommended by an adult or an RCTC faculty member who can attest their ability to overcome struggles.† † †

Susan Miller was the 2018 recipient for the OAKS scholarship. She, like the other recipients, has overcome immense struggles in her life. She was originally from an Amish Community, but she left the only place she knew to pursue the life she wanted. She mainly spoke German and didnít even have a Social Security number.

One day after leaving work in Spring Valley, Susan crashed her car on black ice. She cracked her ribs and vertebra. She also punctured a lung and suffered a concussion. After the accident, she decided to enroll in Hawthorne, a community education center. Her story inspired many people and she was chosen as the winner for the OAKS scholarship. † †

This scholarship is available to those who meet the qualifications, and there is a total of six recipients each year. The deadline for this yearís OAKS scholarship was Oct. 31.

The award ceremony will be on Jan 10.