O’Fallon Firefighters Community Outreach To Surprise Three High School Students With Scholarship Awards Monday
Fire trucks with lights and sirens arrived at three O’Fallon homes on Monday, May 4, but they weren’t there for an emergency. They were surprising three high school seniors with $1,200 scholarships.
The students were chosen from a pool of applicants from Fort Zumwalt North High School, Fort Zumwalt West High School, Christian High School, St. Dominic High School and Hope High School.
O’Fallon Firefighters Community Outreach streamed the check presentations live on their Facebook page facebook.com/ofallonfirefighterscommunityoutreach.
The scholarship recipients for 2020 were:
Matthew Lange, Fort Zumwalt West High School
Matthew Lange wants to make a difference as a first responder. Since the age of six, he has wanted to be a firefighter, but a few years ago, when he was unable to help his great grandfather during a medical emergency, he knew he had to become a first responder. Lange excelled academically in high school and his teachers noted that he stood out as a natural leader, who was always there to help others.
Roman Bishop, Fort Zumwalt North High School
Roman Bishop has his sights set on becoming an orthopedic surgeon. After overcoming two major sport injuries during his middle school and high school sports careers, he developed a desire to help future athletes overcome their injuries and get back to the sports they love. Bishop is a successful student academically, and his teachers describe him as having a strong work ethic and a passion for science. He is an active volunteer basketball referee for Upward Sports, and serves as a field manager for the River City Rascals.
Sara Harris, Hope High School
Sucide and depression are a daily struggle for many high school students. After Harris’s best friend passed away at the age of 16, she knew she wanted to do everything she could to help teens learn to cope and prevent them from feeling alone in this world. After graduation, she will work toward becoming a therapist where she can help teens who are struggling. Her teachers describe her as a hardworking, determined and self-motivated student who is always there for her peers.