I feel very fortunate to grow up in an area with so much opportunity. I graduated from Issaquah High School in June of 2007. The guidance counselors were so helpful with information and directing me with career and scholarship opportunities.
 
During the summer of my junior year in high school, I attended a one-week nursing camp at Seattle Pacific University. The University awarded me a full scholarship and the experience cemented my desire to become a nurse. The demand for nurses is high and I will be able to contribute to the community in a number of vital areas. I hope to work with children in the area of nutrition and exercise in order address the adolescent weight problem developing in this country.

I am the third of three children in my family and I arrived six months after my sister came home from Korea. My mother volunteered regularly at our school, planning fundraisers, helping on the playground, and in the classroom. She also taught Sunday school classes and as a family, we volunteered at Salmon Days in Issaquah. I learned that giving back to the community is not about satisfying community service hours for school. Giving your time and talent is as rewarding to the person as it is to the recipient. Because my mom struggled financially, we learned to be resourceful, self-reliant and hard-working.
 
Growing up in an affluent area can be difficult. We could not afford many extracurricular activities. However, I think challenges make you a stronger person. Thanks to the generosity of a several community organizations including the ECHO foundation, I am attending Gonzaga University. This is my dream come true.

I really admire the Board of Directors at the foundation. In the future, I would love to leave my “handprint” on the community in such a vital way.
 
Sincerely,
Merrill Schinski