CMHS Student Wins National Horatio Alger Scholarship
When Canon-McMillan High School senior Chris Buchleitner applied for the Horatio Alger Scholarship, he thought he might have a chance at a small state award – maybe a few hundred dollars, maybe a thousand to go toward his schooling. He thought wrong. Way wrong. Buchleitner ended up being one of 117 students from country out of a pool of more than 50,000 applicants to be selected to receive a national scholarship worth more than $ 22,000.
But that wasn’ t all: He was also awarded a laptop, a medal and jacket – and even a $ 1,000“ pizza and ice cream scholarship” – one that is meant to give incoming freshman students like him a little bit of pocket money to be able to socialize and make friends on campus.
“ We really didn’ t realize the extent of it when he applied,” Buchleitner’ s aunt, Mary Butera.“ We were excited and surprised when we found out.”
By way of background: The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished
Americans seeks to assist students who have demonstrated integrity, perseverance in overcoming adversity, strength of character, financial need, a good academic record, commitment to pursue a college education and a desire to contribute to society through the scholarship.
In addition to the monetary portion of the award, recipients were also sent to a National Scholar’ s Conference in Washington, D. C. at the end of March – one that focused on college readiness and allowed this year’ s national scholars to meet association members who, like themselves, overcame adversity and achieved success.
Buchleitner, who as a young child both battled leukemia and overcame the deaths of both his parents, said the experience of meeting other scholarship recipients was“ humbling” – and he said he was grateful for the experience.
During the four-day conference, he visited Constitution Hall, the State Department and even the Supreme Court of the United States – he even sat by Justice Clarence Thomas during a banquet( and has the pictures to prove it!).
Buchleitner intends to attend Duquesne University in Pittsburgh to pursue a degree in nursing after graduating this year from Canon-McMillan High School. anon-Mac CANON-MAC SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
CMHS Art Students Participate in, Support, Memory Project
The joy in the Ethiopian orphans’ faces is almost palpable. There were squeals of joy and beaming smiles, thanks in part to the creativity and heart of some of Canon-McMillan High School’ s art students.
Ms. Ashley Van Auken’ s Art Club students( both current and former) created portraits of the orphans as part of what’ s known as The Memory Project, a nonprofit organization that invites art teachers and their students to create portraits for youth around the world who have faced substantial challenges, such as neglect, abuse, loss of parents and extreme poverty.
This is the third year Ms. Van Auken and her students have been involved with the project, helping to raise more than $ 3,550 for its cause: helping those children in need.
She and her class received a video recently from The Memory Project showing the students receiving the portraits – footage complete with much laughter and many smiling faces.
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“ Over the next few years,( the portraits) will be reminders of how many people care about their well-being,” organizers of The Memory Project wrote, adding that they hoped our Canon-McMillan art students truly understood“ the depth of the contribution to( the orphans’) lives.”
Ms. Van Auken said her students had varying reactions to the heartfelt video thank you from the project.
“ Some of the students kind of stared out into space in awe, and some shed a tear,” she said, adding that they all found it worthwhile. To view the video, click here: https:// memoryproject. app. box. com / v / AshleyVanAuken / 1 / 5009553525 / 60493108809 / 1