The Rotary Club of Redding is dedicated to the success of our future leaders and local youth! Two of our Club’s Youth Services Programs illustrate this very commitment. Our Youth Services Committees work year-round to support all programs aimed at helping our youth develop and strengthen their leadership skills, build confidence, and ultimately grow our youth into tomorrow’s leaders that will in turn, serve their communities.
Rotary Club of Redding Scholarship Program
Each year, The Rotary Club of Redding awards scholarships to students continuing their education. Scholarships are awarded to qualified graduating seniors from Shasta High School, University Preparatory School, Pioneer High School and Stellar Charter School who will attend a trade school, or a two/four year institution in the fall of 2016. Scholarships are also awarded to Shasta College students continuing their education in the fall of 2016.
Applications were reviewed by members of the Redding Rotary Scholarship Committee to determine which applicants would be interviewed. Following the interviews, final selections were made and students and school scholarship contacts were invited and notified by mail. The formal presentation of scholarships took place at the club’s June 2nd luncheon at Riverview Country Club. All scholarship recipients were invited to attend with their parents as special guests of the Rotary Club of Redding.
Local community leaders, Redding Rotarians in the club, donate funds for the Scholarship Program each year. Scholarship awards have ranged from $500 to $2500. This year the Club honored 24 recipients from high schools: U Prep, Shasta, and Stellar Charter School, as well as Shasta College. A grand total of $34,000 was awarded to local youth and college-bound students. Scholarships were then handed out. Each recipient was introduced along with their school and field of study.
On June 8th Redding Rotary honored, young adults in our Redding community, who have exhibited all the characteristics of a Rotarian. Words and phrases such as fearless, unwavering conviction, extraordinary efforts, highly academic, community oriented, dependable, dedicated, capable, intense, teachable, coachable, motivational, born leader, are just a few words, used by teachers and peers to describe each of these amazing scholars.
Rotary Club of Redding Sentinels of Freedom Send Off
The Rotary motto is “service above self.” The Rotary Club of Redding believes that the highest level of service young men and women can give is through military service to their country. Program Chair Greg Balkovek lead the Military Send-Off Committee once again this year. Rotary’s Sentinels of Freedom Program is one additional way Rotary supports and honors our youth in the community, especially the high school students who have chosen the highest level of “service above self”. The third annual Redding Rotary Sentinels of Freedom Send-Off was held May 26th at the Riverview Golf & Country Club recognizing 62 students from local high schools entering voluntary military service following graduation.
Key to the program, which takes about four months to put together, is the assistance of military recruiters and high school administrative staffs who help to identify and invite each recruit who can bring up to two guests to the annual luncheon hosted by the club. Recruits are individually recognized, receive a special certificate and are thanked by the club for their service.
Instituted in 2013 by then President Kathy Anderson, who first became aware of the program at Rotary District 5160 PETS (Presidents’ Elect Training Seminar) that year, she asked Past President (2010-11) Greg Balkovek to head it up with the assistance of Past President (2002-03) Tom Stovall and a committee was formed.
Read more about these programs and the students who were honored here: Supporting and Honoring Our Youth in the Community
