Kiwanis President Doug Hemphill with scholarship winner Westley Parker, his parents Robert and Marsha Parker, and his brother Leland. Photo by Brooke Davis

Kiwanis Club President Doug Hemphill with scholarship winner Jennie Gao and her mother Ruilian Wu. Photo by Brooke Davis

BY BROOKE DAVIS
Kiwanis Club

Two Kiwanis scholarship recipients spoke at the club meeting on June 14, briefing their audience on their experience with community service and their plans for the future. They were introduced by Morrie Pongratz.

The first scholar to speak was Westley Parker. During his years at Los Alamos High School, he became a member of the National Honor Society and National Helpers. He served terms as a member of the Bradbury Science Advisory Board and the Los Alamos Public Schools Superintendent Interview Committee. He helped at soup kitchens, moved furniture for Family Strengths Network, worked on county trail maintenance and Thanksgiving meal deliveries.

Westley plans to attend Brigham Young University starting this coming summer term and hopes to pursue a major in the medical field.

Jennie Gao was the second speaker and was introduced as “one of our Key Club all-stars”. She was a high school varsity athlete and the winner of the Lou and Lee Pierotti scholarship. She played varsity soccer and was involved in teaching young players. She was also a member of Key Club where she helped with Breakfast with Santa, a volunteer with Friends of the Library, MathCounts, and Science Bowl.

Gao said she will attend the University of California-Los Angeles majoring in chemical engineering.