Emily Bolick is the local student winner of the Golden Leaf Foundation Scholarship, being selected among 215 of more than 2,400 students.
Bolick, 17, is the daughter of Robert and Angela Bolick, and a graduate of Anson High School, where she attended the YCC program. She is also a graduate of South Piedmont Community College with a certificate in Medical Assisting II and lll.
“Of course, financial need was the main reason for me applying for the scholarship,” she said. “Being the sixth child of a school teacher and a firefighter, I knew it would be a financial burden for my parents to pay full tuition for me to attend college, so I started looking for scholarships.”
Bolick said she heard of this scholarship through those have applied for it in previous years. She started the process by conducting research on past winners — which helped plan out the application.
“I wrote an essay and spoke from the heart about my past, present and future,” she said. “Once I felt that it my application was good enough, I submitted the paperwork and did a lot of praying.”
Bolick said she was very grateful and appreciative after winning the scholarship; extremely happy and felt her hard work had finally paid off.
“My parents have been very supportive of me throughout my education, but I know with this accomplishment they were extremely proud that an organization as large as the Golden Leaf Foundation recognized me as a scholar,” she added.
The winners were selected by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority.
Each of these students was selected to receive a $3,000 scholarship each year for up to four years of study at a participating North Carolina college or university.
Bolick also received the North Carolina Firefighter Relief Fund scholarship in the amount of $1,000, which is renewable every year up to 5 years.
She will attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the fall in pursuit of a degree in biology, concentrating in marine biology.
“Education is very important to me, and because of the Golden Leaf Foundation I can continue on my educational path,” Bolick said. “I will stand tall and be proud of what I left behind and display a huge smile to embrace my future journey with; see you later ACO.”
Reach Natalie Davis at 704-994-5471 or ndavis@ansonrecord.com.