2021 Runner Up Winners Round 2

The Attorney Rick Merrill Dream Scholarship

The Dream Scholarship was started in 2016 to help support the dreams of a current high school or college student looking to make a difference through the pursuit of their passion.

Applicants were asked to submit a picture with a caption that in combination shares their dream and shows how it makes a difference.

Each year we present a $1500 scholarship to applicant who provides the most creative photo or image with a caption to  explain their dream.

This year we are excited to announce that we have a multitude of winners to share with you. You will want to check back each week of July to share in more of the Dreams that were selected for an assortment of scholarships.

Congratulations to more of our Runner Up Winners.

Jacob Hanigan LAD (Leader, Advocate, Doer) eager to make schools and offices pet-friendly and stress-free.

Whether I major in Business (Entrepreneurship) or Health Sciences (Physical Therapy), my dream is to assist others in fulfilling their best lives. This picture taken in March 2021 in the midst of the pandemic demonstrates my commitment to achieve this goal. Here I am training dogs to listen and stay.
In September 2019, I founded a K9 Training Club at my school. In January 2020, we received approval to bring comfort dogs to our campus during finals week. Students loved the stress relief. Presently, I am researching whether the college program I am enrolling in – University of Washington Honors – can allow this proposal, too.
During this past one-year quarantine, these pets alleviated anxiety and loneliness for their owners at home. My desire to help others propelled me to propose a canine comfort club not just at my high school and college, but ultimately at my place of employment. Whether I pursue my major in Business or Health Sciences, I would love to create a program where there is a therapy dog/pet program at the workplace.
I am a LAD (Leader, Advocate, Doer) eager to make schools and offices pet-friendly and stress-free.

Tamara Huckabone Professor or Policy Writer

My picture symbolizes my continued efforts to better myself and the world around me through education. I am the first person in my family to obtain a Master’s and the first to strive towards my Doctored. In obtaining my Ph.D. I plan on developing policies that will have a positive outcome for those that have been legally involved. I have gained this motivation through my time in the Department of Corrections, and the Department of Health and Human Services. I have found from my experience that individuals that have been legally involved are left to their own devices once released from the Department of Corrections and find themselves back in the same situations that got them in trouble in the first place. I believe that when someone has previous experience with legally involved individuals, they have better experience and understanding of how the different policies work for the employees and the individuals of these facilities. I hope to continue to work towards my Doctored to set an example for my children and grandchildren that no matter the age, you can continue to build your education and strive for what you believe in.

Jailene Jewell Paralegal or Attorney

I have always felt alone. I have spent my life surrounded by people, and yet I have always felt as though I only had my own strength to draw on. My experiences have shaped me, from seed to bloom, shattering layer after layer of seemingly unbreakable bonds. It has taken me years to escape the shell of my childhood trauma and abusive relationships, but now that I have, I can see much more clearly. My family, my children, and my future have been the sun all along, coaxing me out of the ground to be able to face them and stand tall and proud and bright. After years of sitting, seemingly alone in the dark, I am finally understanding that I am not alone, and that I have always had a bright future available to me; I only needed to see it. The pain of my journey so far has inspired me to push myself further, to go to school and get the education I need to help others who need help breaking through the edge of the darkness to stand tall in their own light and take back their lives.

Boray Koung Environmental Engineer to address climate change.

“I grew up in a relatively arid climate before moving to Washington. Ever since then, I have been consistently surprised by how high temperatures have risen in those relatively few years after I left—what heavy heat I felt before, I imagine, can only feel more intense nowadays. More recently, I remember waking late summer last year to a smoky haze that would linger around the Pacific Northwest for days and reading about the simultaneous wildfires that had scorched the Californian landscape.
These drastic changes had concerned me, and I felt driven to pursue a career involved with sustainability to help preserve the environment for future generations. The photo is of a flower; it’s simple, but it is a reminder that the environment remains resilient and its challenges can be overcome. Currently a student at Edmonds College, I have enjoyed taking math and science courses in pursuit of my degree, intrigued by the patterns and discoveries that characterize natural processes.”

Robert Krieger Artist

I have been always inspired to create art. The inspiration comes from those around me; my family, my significant other, and my friends. Some of my paintings are done as gifts, some are just for my own enjoyment and vision, while others have been commissioned by generous friends. To help support my dream, I have begun to paint commissions such as the sketched bee in the photo, as well as seeking higher education through the University of Washington Bothell. This picture was actually taken a month or so ago as I have now completed that painting, but it shows my process well. This dream is important to me as it is my way of sharing with the world and creating something beautiful that conveys my personality and ideas. I seek my schooling goal because while I am not studying art, the science career path I am working towards will be something I enjoy that can support my art dreams as well. For me, it is a multi-faceted way to get the most out of life and fulfill my passions as a human being.

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