The recipient of our 2020 McKenna Rae Johnson Memorial Scholarship of $2500 is Micheala Becker of Kearney, Nebraska. She plans on attending the University of Nebraska this fall and majoring in elementary and special education. Michaela was nominated by Trena Miller, Michaela's first-grade teacher and they attend the same church. Congratulations to Michaela 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 Trena wrote in her nomination:
I have known Michaela Becker for a number of years and have enjoyed watching her become an outstanding young woman who demonstrates many fine qualities that will be an asset as she travels the road of achieving her profession in elementary and special education.
First of all, I became acquainted with Michaela when she was in my first-grade class while attending Windy Hills Elementary School. As a first-grader, Michaela took on the qualities of working hard, being responsible, and caring for others. She was a delightful student to have in class. I have enjoyed watching her grow through the years into a remarkable young woman who has stayed very involved in her church, school, and community.
In addition to Michaela being involved in her church youth group, she has also been a four-year member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as a leader since 2018. Her other activities, such as Drug and Alcohol Free Youth, Kearney Tackles Cancer, Launch Leadership, National Honor Society, Student Council, and Yearbook Staff all prove that she is a very hard-working individual who cares about others, has good time-management and organizational skills, and is willing to serve others in both her school and her community. She has been able to stay involved in all these areas while still being active in various sports during her school years.
Most recently, I have had the privilege of working again with Michaela. This past semester, she has worked in my first-grade classroom through a partnership between Kearney High School and Windy Hills Elementary School. During this time, Michaela has displayed a great work ethic and has always been reliable, responsible, and organized. She easily established rapport with my students, and the work she did with them had a positive impact on their progress and their self-confidence. She has demonstrated an excitement for learning and working with students while using encouraging words and showing her positive attitude. She was truly in her element while working in the classroom. She was greeted on a daily basis with smiles and hugs from students. In addition to her strong relationships with students and being a good role model for them, she was able to associate with other educators in the classroom and was excited to learn from them.
It has truly been a pleasure to work with Michaela, watch her interact in an outstanding manner with my students, and associate with other educators. I am proud of the woman she has become and feel she most represents what it is to be a “Rae of Hope” who helps other people on a daily basis and makes a positive impact on the lives of others.