Kiwanis Club of Beaufort, South Carolina

Kiwanis Club of Beaufort --- South Carolina CHARTERED JANUARY 6, 1983

Beaufort Kiwanis Club 2009 Scholarship Award

Kiwanis Club of Beaufort is proud to announce the presentation of four separate $2000 Scholarship awards to four outstanding students from the Beaufort area.

The Jim Givens Scholarships, each of $2,000, is awarded to the graduating high school seniors who best exemplify community service, character, and leadership while maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence.

This year Josh Waldron, home schooled through Community Bible Church Academy, and Sam Venning, a student at Beaufort High School, have been named as recipients of the Jim Givens Scholarships.

Josh Waldron is a competitive swimmer and received the Coach's Work Ethic Award for the last four years. He plays bass guitar in a band, and regularly performs for youth groups in the area as well as his church orchestra. Josh has taken several mission trips to Ukraine where he mentored other teens and worked with the sick and elderly. He also taught English and moral conduct to children in China during a mission trip in 2008. In the Beaufort area Josh worked for Habitat for Humanity, was a lifeguard at the YMCA, a cashier at Chic Fil A, and even worked part time power washing homes and windows. He enjoys working with computers, car stereos, hunting and fishing. With all the above volunteer time and while working, Josh maintained a GPA 4.6 as well as the highest SAT score of all the applicants for the Jim Givens Scholarship. Josh plans to study mechanical engineering at USC, as been accepted to the NROTC program and plans to work toward a commission in the United States Marine Corps.

Sam Venning of Beaufort High School also has been awarded the Jim Givens Scholarship. Sam is well known in the Beaufort area as being an important leader of the Beaufort High School football team, where he played linebacker, was Team Captain, and All Region player. This past year, Sam was awarded the Academic and Citizenship Award by South Carolina Sports Review. Sam also was a member of the renowned Beaufort High Voices Choir, and performed as a soloist, section leader, played guitar and percussion. He also played in the Beaufort High School Band in his freshman and sophomore years. Sam has completed the American Leadership initiative, worked for Habitat for Humanity, sang in his Church choir, worked for Relay for life, and participated in numerous fund raisers for children who were accident or cancer victims. Sam was a student leader in Wyld Life and was a leader in Celebration, a non denominational Christian retreat for high students. Sam is graduating with a 3.9 GPA and plans to attend the Coast Guard Academy after one year at the New Mexico Military Institute.

The Kiwanis Tommy Karns Scholarships are awarded to graduating high school students who also show unusual potential by demonstrating leadership, character, community service and work ethic while maintaining high academic achievement.

Candace Grober of Battery Creek High School, and Brian Simmons of Beaufort High School, have been selected for the 2009 Kiwanis Tommy Karns Scholarships. Each award is for $2,000.

Candace Gober was a member of the Future Business Leaders of America, serving as Secretary and then President. She was active in Student Government and was President of her sophomore class, Junior Class Secretary, and student body President. She was a member of the National Honor Society and Battery Creek Philharmonic Society. Candace was active in her church, worked as a cashier at Wal Mart, and still maintained a 3.5 GPA. Candace was a Teacher Cadet and writes that she found her passion in teaching, and plans to attend Charleston Southern University where she plans to major in Elementary Education.

Brian Simmons of Beaufort High School played 3 sports. In track he was All State in the 4x400 relay, State qualifier in the 800 meter, and All Region in the 800. He played JV basketball 2 years and Varsity basketball for 2 years. In football, Brian was awarded the Academic Award for the highest Senior GPA. Even while participating in 3 sports, Brian reaches graduation with a 4.1 GPA and an impressive performance on the SAT. Brian also was active in his church where he sang in choir and served as an usher. Brian writes that his most rewarding experience was tutoring middle school students in Pre Algebra and Math. He plans to study computer engineering with a minor in mathematics and has been accepted at USC.

Dr. Joseph Floyd
Jim Givens/Tommy Karns Scholarship Committee
drchip4@embarqmail.com