Hundreds of Hermann Sons members are graduating from high school this year and are looking forward to enrolling in college in the fall. Seven of those members will be doing so with the help of one of the two major scholarships that Hermann Sons offers – the Hermann Sons Youth Camp-Shannon Leigh Gaffney Scholarship and the Retirement Home Scholarship.

The names of the recipients were announced in the May and June issues of Hermann Sons Life but I want to take a moment to recognize them and wish them good luck in their pursuit of a higher education.

And I want to thank them for the things they said about Hermann Sons – especially the Camp and Dance programs – in the essays they were required to write when they applied for the scholarships. All seven attended Camp with at least three returning as counselors-in-training and later as counselors. These young people are great ambassadors for Hermann Sons and all that it stands for.

They all are headed to great universities – three to Texas A&M, two to the University of North Texas and one each to the University of South Carolina and Incarnate Word University.

And they have some very ambitious plans. Three of them are going into the medical field, one wants to be a vet, another wants to be an attorney, one will study computer engineering and another wants to study psychology and mathematics.

One of the graduates is actually receiving both scholarships. Her name is Madison Dziuk. This is not the first time that one student has earned both scholarships but it definitely doesn’t happen every year. I know that Rodney and Karen Dziuk and everyone in Karnes City Lodge are very proud of her. She is graduating from Falls City High School and plans to attend Texas A&M University in College Station where she will study kinesiology in preparation for a career in pediatric medicine.

In her essay, Madison said, “Hermann Sons Life is just that – LIFE! Through this amazing organization, I have become better prepared for the road ahead. It has instilled in me a sense of purpose and established a commitment to all that I do. I will be forever thankful to HSYC as it has influenced my career path to work with the medical needs of children in the field of pediatrics.”

This reaffirms the Hermann Sons Life commitment to its Camp program and the power it has to change the lives of the young people it serves.

The other recipients of the Camp scholarship are Haley Miller of Waco and Haley Trainer of Adkins.

Haley Miller is the daughter of Paula and Trey Miller and is graduating as the valedictorian at Waco High School. She is a member of Waco-Robinson Lodge. She also will be attending Texas A&M at College Station and has been accepted to the Mays College of Business Honors Program. Her goal is to become an attorney.

Haley is now a counselor at Camp and said in her essay, “I may never be able to repay Hermann Sons and the people that made my time in Comfort the very best weeks of my life, but I am pleased to now be part of the team that creates the magic of our summer home. I will continue to add to the madness that is my camp and do my part to make sadness disappear one week at a time.”

Haley Trainer is the daughter of Kerri and Damon Trainer and is graduating from East Central High School. She is a member of Lone Oak Lodge. She plans to attend the University of the Incarnate Word where she will study nursing.

In her essay, Haley reflected on how she learned to be a better leader while at Camp. “Leaders must be dedicated, responsible, respectful, organized and lead by example. All of these qualities I try to apply in my life today.”

Four other students have received the Retirement Home Scholarship.

Erin “Beth” Logue is the daughter of Kenneth and Barbara Niemann of Lockhart. She is a member of Niederwald Lodge. She plans to attend Texas A&M University where she will study animal science. Her goal is to become a veterinarian.

In her essay, she wrote, “Hermann Sons Youth Camp shaped me in ways that my family and friends alone never could have done and I am obsessively grateful for the many memories, friendships and lessons that it’s offered me.”

Ronald Burns-Lane is the only young man who is receiving a scholarship this year. He is a member of Fort Worth Lodge and is the son of Karen Burns-Lane and Billy Lane of Burleson. He is graduating from Burleson Centennial High School and plans to attend the University of North Texas where he will study computer engineering in preparation for working in the family business.

In his essay, he wrote, “When I think of Hermann Sons I think of community and family. I think of life-long support and friendships. I look forward to growing my ties to the Hermann Sons community throughout my life.”

Emily Saathoff is a member of Prinz Solms Lodge. She is the daughter of Doug and Teresa Saathoff. She is graduating from Ronald Reagan High School and plans to attend the University of South Carolina at Columbia where she will study biological sciences with a focus on pre-med. She hopes to attend medical school and eventually become a pediatric oncologist.

In her essay, she wrote, “Life passes by in a flash, but Hermann Sons has provided me with a family that I know will always be there for me to fall back on. I used to be an 8-year-old afraid of jumping off the top bunk, but thanks to Hermann Sons, I am now ready to leap into my future.”

Marissa Kaylee Pollok is a member of Siemering Lodge. She is the daughter of George and Rebecca Pollok of San Antonio. She is graduating from East Central High School and will attend the University of North Texas where she will study psychology and mathematics.

In her essay, she wrote, “To me Hermann Sons means growing into the ideal citizen of society by learning leadership skills. Hermann Sons means the world to me and I am glad to have been able to have this learning experience.”

As Hermann Sons members we should all be proud of these young people. They have a bright future ahead of them. Watch out world, here they come!

If you are graduating from high school in 2018, it’s not too early to start thinking about applying for one of these scholarships. The Camp presents three scholarships each year. Each is worth $1,000. The Retirement Home presents five scholarships each year. Each is worth $1,500. Learn more on our website.