Echo Mendiguren loves economics –
it was her favorite class. No surprise then that she
plans a career in business – but not on Main Street or
Wall Street. Echo wants to be in a developing country,
helping it become more economically viable. She sees
herself teaching business skills in a place like
Nigeria. She researched jobs that would allow her to do
that, and she intends to be an economic development
director for a non-profit organization.
How does a girl grow into such an amazing goal? Part of
the answer may be the Girl Scouts, whose slogan is
“Where today's girls can become tomorrow's leaders.”
Echo has been a Girl Scout since she was 7. As a scout
she has participated in and led service projects every
year. She likes smaller projects where the girls focused
on one group for a period of time and could see the
results of their efforts. She also loves the Kmart
Christmas 4 Kids shopping spree, where she bought,
wrapped and delivered gifts of toys and clothing for
families.
She started doing that with her scout troop and kept it
up even after her troop stopped.
Her service opportunities expanded as she got older. At
Glide High School, she has volunteered for 3 years with
the after-school tutoring program, and this year is head
tutor. She also participates in National Honor Society
service projects like the blood drives and the Boy Scout
holiday food program. She’s been a leader in student
government, holding offices 3 of her 4 years.
After her sophomore year, Echo joined the Umpqua
Explorers, a volunteer group with the Douglas County
Museum. These students help the museum staff in many
ways. When groups of kids from day-care and summer camps
visit the museum, Echo supervises art projects and gives
museum tours. She says she loves history, and likes the
tidbits of information that make her tours fun and
interesting. Ask her about the museum’s hat from the
1820s and the expression “mad as a hatter.”
Echo is also musical. All four years she’s played
clarinet in the band and sung in the choir. She’s also
performed with the jazz band and the a capello choir.
She’s taken piano lessons since she was 8 and enjoys
playing for occasions such as church services and
weddings.
Along with all these activities, she’s maintained a
perfect 4.0 average, while taking all the hardest
courses. She’s headed for U of O, where she’s been
accepted into the honors program. She’ll major in Social
Sciences with an emphasis on applied business, economics
and society. After graduation, she wants to volunteer
with the Peace Corps for 2 years, before going to
graduate school and then beginning her work in economic
development.
Echo likes this quote from Marian Wright Edelman:
“Service is the rent we pay for being.” This is her
inspiration for how she plans to live her life.
Echo, we in the Glide community look forward to hearing
that you are making the change you want to see in the
world. The Glide Community Club is pleased to help you
start toward your goals with one of our 2015
scholarships. Congratulations and much success to you!
Many kids don’t know what they want to do when they grow up.
Not our next recipient. Sara Harris has known since middle
school that she wants to study sociology, get a master’s
degree in social work, and help children and young adults
afflicted with mental illness.
There’s a reason for her focus. Sara’s father suffered from
bipolar disorder, so she has seen first-hand the effects of
mental illness on patients and their families. Her goal is
to improve their quality of life, helping them with issues
such as housing, employment, and learning life skills for
independent living. She also wants to help change negative
attitudes around mental illness and remove the stigma
attached to these common diseases.
Throughout high school, Sara has worked toward that goal
with commitment and tenacity. She’s taken all the hardest
courses and earned a perfect 4.0 – actually, more like 4.2,
if you count the A-pluses. That includes 5 UCC courses, and
3 more she’s taking now. She’ll graduate from high school
with 4 college-level psychology and sociology courses
already under her belt.
She’s held 10 offices for her class, the student body, the
honor society, and clubs. For three years, she’s been
student representative to the site council. She’s been on
the yearbook and newspaper staffs, serving as editor and
head photographer for both. She plays saxophone in the
concert and pep bands and the saxophone choir. She’s devoted
hundreds of hours to the drama club, where she’s done sound,
lights, acting, and this year is co-president. Be sure to
check out their upcoming murder-mystery. Sarah plays the
female lead.
She participates in all the National Honor Society service
projects, such as campus blood drives, the Boy Scouts’
holiday food drive, and school clean-ups, as well as being
the president this year. She also has helped at almost every
Booster Club fundraiser.
The summer after her freshman year, Sara started
volunteering with the American Red Cross in Roseburg, where
she helps most Fridays. The last two summers, she has
coordinated her own blood drives. Altogether, she’s logged
over 160 hours for the Red Cross. She intends to continue to
volunteer with them throughout college and beyond, because
wherever she goes, there will be a local chapter.
Last summer Sarah volunteered for the Oregon Musical Theater
Festival at UCC. If you went to the Patsy Cline show, that
was Sara doing lights and sound. She also stage managed,
built sets, and sewed costumes. She says it was exciting to
be involved in theater on that level, and she’s looking
forward to being involved in college and community theater.
Which brings us to her college plans. The last couple weeks
have been very exciting for Sara. She has received letters
of acceptance to UC Berkeley, the University of Chicago,
and Yale. She hasn’t decided yet where to go.
Sara, whatever you decide, know that the people of Glide are
supporting you and rooting for you. We believe that your
work in memory of your father will change people’s lives.
The Glide Community Club is pleased to help you along your
path with one of our 2015 scholarships. Congratulations and
much success to you!