One of the recipients of our 2021 McKenna's Rae of Hope Foundation Character Scholarship of $1000 is Golden Kelly of Omaha, Nebraska (attends Millard West High School) . Golden plans on attending Creighton University to pursue a major in marketing with a minor in graphic design. She also has a future goal after college to work for a non-profit organization. Golden was nominated by Maureen Zohlen, sponsor of the Wildcat Service Club that Golden is in. Congratulations to Golden from all of us at McKenna's Rae of Hope Foundation. Thank you for being a Rae of Hope for those around you.
Here is what Maureen said about Golden:
Golden has a heart of gold and I cannot think of a better first name for this young lady, a name that exemplifies her beautiful spirit and caring nature. She has been part of a club that I sponsor called the Wildcat Service Club, which is how I first got to know her. The first Saturday of every month during high school (except this year due to Covid), she would spend time with elderly residents at the Walnut Grove Retirement Home chatting with them, laughing with them, and creating meaningful relationships. The residents looked forward to her visits each month because of her beautiful spirit and caring ways. Goldie has also been nominated by her classmates throughout high school for prom and homecoming royalty. This nomination is special at Millard West as there is a character component to this nomination, and Goldie has received the nomination because she cares about her classmates and treats all with dignity and respect. She would be the first to lend a hand to somebody in need or to help out a struggling classmate, regardless of the "social status" of this individual. Many high school students are worried about their reputation being scarred because of who they might be seen with. This is not the case with Goldie. She is the type of person who is a friend to all and to see her interacting with others is, indeed, a beautiful thing. Not only is she a bright light in the halls of Millard West, but she has also helped care for her own family and grandparents when they have been ill. Her grandparents often spend time at her home, and she has been a very important caregiver to them in times of illness, selflessly sacrificing her own free time and interests to care for her beloved grandparents. I have worked as an educator for over 30 years, and when I saw this scholarship nomination, the first person that I thought of was Golden Kelly. One of the quotes that stands out in my mind regarding Goldie is from Flavia Weedn and goes like this: "Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same." I believe that Goldie is leaving those footprints on the hearts of many. She is a role model to her peers and is the type of person who is out making a difference every day by her kind presence, which is a gift to this world. I hope you will carefully consider Golden Kelly for this scholarship award as I believe she is a most deserving recipient and will be out changing the world one person at a time for years to come.