2020 Graduation Spotlights

OUR 2020 DAVE “HENDU” HENDERSON SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, AND EACH HAS A UNIQUE STORY TO TELL. AS GRADUATES, THEY ARE TRULY INSPIRING.

TOYS FOR KIDS RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH SOME OF OUR GRADUATES TO FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE HEADED NEXT.

ALINA

High School: Sammamish High School

College: University of Washington

Hi! My name is Alina. I am graduating from Sammamish High School in Bellevue. I will be attending University of Washington Bothell start this fall of 2020.

The Scholarship made a huge difference for me because I always thought money would be the main reason why I will not reach my dream. However, this all changed as soon as I got the Toys for Kids Scholarship. Now I am not worried about anything as I know nothing will hold me back from reaching the goals that I have always wanted to. Toys for Kids Scholarship is my backbone in a way that gives me confidence to accomplish as much as I can without worrying about the financial aspect of anything during my time at UW Bothell.

When I graduate, I want to be an Obstetrician Gynecologist. Growing up, this is my passion that makes me want to keep going and never give up for my dream.

My advice for new scholarship winners would be to definitely use the money wisely because using it appropriately will open more doors to more opportunities.

During this time, I am actually doing pretty well with school as I only have couple classes a day and few assignments per week to complete, which makes time easy to manage than physically going to school.

Currently, I am not really doing anything to prepare for college because I do not know what essentials I need for college other than a notebook and pencils/pens. I think I will really look deeper into preparing for college during summer as time will get closer and hopefully things get better with the pandemic.

MADISON

High School: Stanwood High School

College: Skagit Valley College

Hi! My name is Madison. I am graduating from Stanwood High School and will be attending Skagit Valley College where I will also be playing basketball. This scholarship has made a huge difference in going to college as it has lifted a lot of stress off of my shoulders. I definitely feel very fortunate to have this opportunity and am looking forward to seeing all the good it will bring. I plan to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing and later specialize in pediatrics. Some advice I would give the newest scholarship winners would be to just enjoy the experience. As it really is a blessing to have the chance to meet and connect with the amazing people who make up this foundation. I would also advise the newest winners to lay out a good plan for themselves and to choose a college where they’ll be able to succeed the most. The new way of going to school will definitely take some adjusting but I have been able to cope by using the time to be with family. On the education aspect I’ve been preparing for college by taking advanced and college preparatory classes and creating better studying habits. On the social aspect I have been preparing by continuing to get to know my future teammates and coach. I’m very grateful for the Toys for Kids Foundation, donors and all of those that make it possible to help the community as well as students.

MILLA

High School: Stanwood High School

College: Washington State University

Hi! My name is Milla. I am graduating from Stanwood High School. I am currently planning on attending Washington State University (but am not yet 100% sure). This scholarship meant the world to me. Not only did it allow me to put a huge dent in any future student debt that I will collect, but it also gave me hope. Hope that I might actually be able to afford college. Hope that there really are people out there who want to help others – want to help people like me! And hope that one day, I can accomplish everything I’ve been working towards for the past 12 years…

I am still unsure of what I want to do/be after college, but I know I want to help others. Secondary education has been one subject that I have been especially drawn to because it would allow me to help youths in what it arguably the toughest and most important time of their lives yet.

The best piece of advice I could give the next scholarship winners is DO YOUR RESEARCH. While earning scholarships to fund an education is amazing, knowing what you’re going to do with that education (or even what not to do) is essential. You need to be prepared to put that money into something useful and worth your time.

What is helping me cope with this new method of education is finding other ways to control my life when everything else is uncertain. For example, I’ve started working out at least 5 times a week and have taken on several different projects through student government. Being a senior myself, being involved in the desitions regarding how to celebrate seniors really helps. Filling my schedule with work, volunteering at the Food Bank or local Kidz Eat programs, set study times, and yard work also really helps.

Spending as much time as I can with my family, applying for every scholarship and honors program that I can, and thoroughly researching programs!

PRESTON

High School: Stanwood High School

College: Allegheny College

Hi! My name is Preston. I am a 2020 graduate from Stanwood High School and will be continuing my education and baseball career at Allegheny college in Pennsylvania this next Fall. At the time of my acceptance into Allegheny’s honors program and onto their baseball team I was ecstatic, however, it wasn’t long before I realized acceptance was only half the battle. As I looked at the daunting tuition price I had to weigh out if going to such an expensive school was a financially viable option for me. I started to consider other cheaper options even though Allegheny was offering everything I had worked towards and wanted for my future. I was being forced to put a price tag on my dream, but that is where Toys for Kids stepped in. The scholarship they granted me helped me enough to go and pursue my dreams. This scholarship will have a lasting effect on my life and I am beyond grateful. When I am finished and graduate from Allegheny, I will likely pursue a masters and career in Engineering. If I could give one piece of advice to you, it would be to find something you love and never stop pursuing it. We don’t spend all this time preparing to then do something we resent in the end. So do something that feels rewarding to you no matter how much work it takes to achieve. Since I am a 2020 senior I’ve missed the last semester of physically attending my high school. However, the extra time has allowed me to better prepare myself to be a college athlete and spend more precious time with my family. Besides training physically, I have also been working on keeping my mind sharp with online schooling and independent projects. Although difficult at first and due to undesirable circumstances, I believe missing school has given me some valuable time to prepare for college and the many challenges it will bring my way.