Shelburne student receives scholarship

September 24, 2014 · 0 Comments

Municipal Retirees Organization Ontario (MROO), has awarded two of its annual scholarships to Orillia resident Sydney Lester and Mitchell Lee of Shelburne. Sydney is working towards a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in Criminology at Lakehead University’s Orillia Campus, while Mitchell is studying Mechanical Engineering at Queen’s University.
The MROO Scholarship Program awards $2,000 scholarships to students entering their second year at a Canadian post-secondary institution who are related to MROO members. It also presents the $5,000 Don MacLeod award to the applicant demonstrating the greatest leadership experience. While MROO represents retirees receiving an OMERS pension, its scholarship program indicates the importance it places on education and investing in today’s younger generation.
Scholarship criteria require applicants to demonstrate significant leadership experience, commitment to volunteering and helping others, and a practical vision for making a difference in the world and their community. Sydney received the Tim Hortons Award for having the most volunteer hours of all the students in her high school graduating class. Her efforts included volunteering for the Terry Fox Run, as a Youth Group Leader with Connexus, as well as on mission trips to Guatemala. Mitchell has had the opportunity to impact the lives of others through his work at the Queen’s Health Outreach and he finished his year with a seven-week health promotion and education project in Kenya. Focused on helping those in his university community, Mitchell is creating a network and support group for students living with diabetes on campus. Both students achieved consistently high grades throughout high school and continue to do so in university.
This year, MROO awarded 21 scholarships in support of outstanding young people who are related to MROO members. Sydney is the granddaughter of Orillia resident Patricia Lester, while Mitchell is the grandson of Charles Oakley of Kitchener.
Regional MROO Board member Francine Delacourt congratulated Sydney and Mitchell on their awards, “The competition was stiff for this year’s scholarships, with more than 60 high-calibre students applying. On behalf of MROO, I commend Sydney and Mitchell for their hard work and wish them continued success. They clearly have bright futures.”
The full list of this year’s MROO scholarship recipients is available on the MROO website at www.mroo.org