Giving...
Sunset Hills Children’s Foundation Scholarship –
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2010 Recipient |
• To provide a substantial scholarship to students in the High Desert who have experienced a tragic event in their lives.
• A $20,000 scholarship will be awarded to student who is selected by Board Members on the scholarship committee.
• Scholarship can be used at student’s post-secondary school of choice.
2010 Sunset Hills Children's Foundation Scholarship Recipient:
My name is Kevin Hanley and I would like to express my gratitude towards those who have contributed to the Sunset Hills Children Foundation allowing me to further my education. When I was eleven years old my alcoholic father whom I loved very much decided to take his own life. He left my siblings and me with only a mother to keep our lives running, all the while dealing with her own grief. Life was tough and as a boy growing up with no father to emulate, I often felt confused. In my sophomore year in high school I finally matured enough to recognize and deal with the absence of my father. As the end of my junior year approached my mother talked to me about volunteering for an organization called Mourning Star. It is a center where children in the High Desert come to express their grief in a safe environment. My mother and I began volunteering regularly after volunteering for the summer camp that they run every year which was an inspiring experience. I had found a way to take the darkest part of my life and transform it into a positive force for other children. Shortly into my senior year my counselor at school offered me a position co-facilitating a grief group on campus. I gladly accepted and continued having eye-opening experiences with other grief stricken students. I hope to see similar programs expand to other schools because of the impact I've seen it have on my peers. My objective is to reach out to the supporters and thank them for making a positive difference in so many lives. I have tremendous gratitude towards all those who have helped me and others like me by supporting this foundation.
Respectfully,
Kevin Hanley
Ryan Cambridge Memorial Scholarship –
The Foundation is also the proud caretaker of the Ryan Cambridge Memorial Scholarship. Each year, Ryan’s legacy is kept in perpetuity by awarding $5000 to students who are pursuing a career in the construction, trade or building related industries – monies for this scholarship are also intended to stay right here in the Victor Valley!
Program Details...
Sunset Hills Children’s Foundation Scholarship
Since 2008, the Sunset Hills Children’s Foundation has awarded a $20,000 scholarship to a student who has lost a parent. This is our way of lending a helping hand during their college years giving them the opportunity to focus on the schoolwork and not their finances. We are proud we can call this the single largest scholarship awarded in the High Desert!
Our founders and Board members are looking for students who have a commitment to our area and will voluntarily come back and work to improve the lives of those who so generously gave to them.
High School Grief Support Group
We are carrying our mission into our local High School system. In 2011, the Sunset Hills Children’s Foundation launched our first “Teen Grief Support Group” at Apple Valley High School. This 9-week per-semester program will offer a safe place for students who are experiencing grief to discuss their feelings with others who have suffered comparable loss. Trained facilitators and student peers oversee the program and work closely with accredited counselors who have willingly volunteered their time! Each year, our program will benefit as many as 100 students within our own district.
Memory Bear
Saying goodbye at any age is a difficult time. However, children have an even harder time understanding the meaning of death. We are pleased to announce our new “Memory Bear” program. Foundation members are now placing plush Teddy Bears in the hands of children who walk through our Mortuary doors. Keep in mind, these are not ordinary bears. Each bear will lovingly hold inside its heart a personal item belonging to the individual who just passed. Our vision is the child will always have something they can keep close and a memory they can carry for the rest of their lives. Teddy bears and other cuddly critters can actually reduce stress, anxiety and help begin the healing process. Your small monthly donation of just $5 will pay for one teddy bear, and although you may never see the recipient of your Teddy Bear, you will know you made someone smile when they hug their new friend.
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- Download Scholarship Materials Here
All of the below documents are in PDF. Simply right click on the link, and save the document to your desktop.
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The Sunset Hills Children's Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Tax Exempt #20-2388514 |