Saturday June 4, 2022 | LANGFORD, BC
by Molly Pearce | Island Social Trends
A scholarship of any size can make a huge difference to a high school student as they graduate. But for two students from Sooke School District 62 (SD62) — each receiving $40,000 this spring — these scholarships will be life-changing.
Ariah Cummings and Megan Omran who are graduating from Belmont Secondary School in Langford have been awarded the prestigious Cmolik Foundation scholarship. The award recognizes the achievements of students who have overcome adversity in their lives to achieve academic excellence.
These large scholarships are not a common feat among most graduating years. The excellence of these students speaks to the amazing achievements of SD62’s 2022 graduates, and to their hard work over their academic careers.
About Cmolik Foundation:
Every year, Cmolik Foundation awards up to 20 scholarships to students graduating from BC high schools. Each one is up to a maximum of $40,000 paid over five years of study.
Scholarship recipients have faced adversity but have responded with positivity and tenacity, achieving academic and social goals.
Scholarships must be applied for by potential recipients. Among other eligibility criteria, they must have lived in Canada for at least seven years, plan to be a full time student, and have been endorsed by their school principal. Each BC secondary school may only nominate one application unless prior permission is received. Applications are on February 7 each year.
The Cmolik Foundation was founded in 2008. Since then, $6 million in funding has been awarded. In 2020, the foundation doubled its efforts to recruit applicants in BC from secondary schools outside the Lower Mainland.
Where are the two Langford grads heading?
Where are the two Cmolik Foundation recipients from Belmont Secondary School heading after their Grade 12 graduation?
- Ariah Cummings – Cummings’ next step is to attend York University in Greater Toronto to study chemistry or biology. She then intends to go on to medical school to become a surgeon. Cummings’ science teacher at Belmont, Megan Bondurant, expressed her pride at her student’s achievement and praises her decision to become a healthcare professional in a time when such contributions to society are more important than ever.
- Megan Omran – Omran plans to attend the University of Victoria to study physics, as she has long been interesting in astronomy and astrophysics. She starts a part-time co-op term this spring at an observatory where she will conduct research in astronomy. Omran also added that she is looking forward to mentoring other students in the future to share her love and excitement for science.
Other scholarships:
SD62 students receive scholarships from a wide range of organizations, family memorial funds, unions and local businesses. Most of those scholarships offer far less than the $40,000 that larger organizations like Cmolik offer. Students and their families work very hard to track down and apply for scholarships in their final year of classes, which is already a very busy time.
In the SD62 schools (in Langford, Colwood and Sooke), that includes the Sooke Arts Council scholarship awarded to a graduating student from Edward Milne Community School who is entering the arts, and the Island Social Trends journalism scholarship awarded to one or more students who intend to pursue a career in journalism.
Almost scholarships are applied for online nowadays.
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