Rodrock Vision Scholarships awarded to talented students

As part of his continued commitment to build better communities, Darol Rodrock has awarded the Rodrock Vision Scholarships to six amazingly talented high-school seniors. This year’s winners — Kaitlyn Weeks, Clara Ma, Caroline Vanslyke, Tylar Lock, Katherine Thill and Logan Green — all demonstrated community involvement, a desire to continue their education and high goals for their future.

Now in its 18th year, the Rodrock Vision Scholarship is offered to graduating seniors who, as Darol Rodrock said, “believe the world can be a better place and want to be a part of bringing a beneficial change to our planet.”

The program seeks young men and women who’ve demonstrated a commitment to their communities, the ability to set goals and achieve them, and the capacity to assume responsibility. The scholarship requires that applicants be a member of the 2015 high school graduating class, live within a Rodrock community and have plans to continue their education beyond high school. Each was carefully chosen after completing a thorough application process that included written statements, character references and personal interviews.

Kaitlyn Weeks, a senior at Olathe Northwest High School, was awarded Rodrock’s top scholarship of $2,000. At school, Kaitlyn is enrolled in the Aerospace and Engineering program, one of the 21st century programs that the Olathe School District offers high school students.

“I’ve been involved in the Technology Student Association (TSA) and FIRST Robotics,” Kaitlyn said. “This year, I serve as the president of TSA and the Chief Operations Officer for our school’s robotics team. In the fall, I’ll attend Brigham Young University, where I plan on studying civil engineering with an emphasis on structures. I’m excited to see what the future has in store for me.”

The Rodrock Vision Scholarship “is all about making a difference and changing the world for the better,” Kaitlyn said. “This is something I’m very passionate about. Being a female pursuing a career in engineering, I’m going to be a minority. I don’t think that should be the case for the next generation of females. I want to be a leader. I want to inspire younger girls to get excited about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. That is what this scholarship is all about to me.”

Clara Ma, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School, is passionate about the environment and space exploration and for her interests, she was awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

“I interned at NASA for two years, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Clara said. “I’m considering majoring in astrophysics or planetary science while at Yale this fall.”

Clara has lived in Parkhurst, a Rodrock Community, her entire life. “The scholarship means a lot to me, because I feel it’s intimately connected to the place I’ve lived for the past 15 years, which I will always see as my home. I am who I am because of the people around me, because of the community I was raised in, which has shaped me, my hopes, my ideas and beliefs.”

The remaining talented students will all be awarded $500 to put toward their future endeavors.

Caroline Vanslyke attends Blue Valley North and plans to go to the University of Central Missouri in the fall to obtain a bachelor’s in radiologic technologies.

“I’m involved in cross country and have been dedicated to the special-needs program at my school,” she said. “I’ve been a part of a church leadership team, called Student Contributors, for three years.”

Tylar Lock attends St. James Academy and will be attending the University of Kansas as a part of the honors program next fall to major in nursing. Tylar is completely humbled, he said, to receive the scholarship.

“It means I have assistance to push me toward continuing to help others after I get my nursing degree,” Tylar said, “and for that I am forever grateful.”

Katherine Thill attends Blue Valley Northwest, where she’s a cheerleader and a varsity swimmer for the past four years. “I’m a two-time state swimming champion. I’m also involved in DECA, qualifying for Nationals all four years and winning state this year. Next year, I will attend the University of Alabama to major in business management and marketing and minor in Spanish.”

Finally, Logan Green is a 2015 graduate of Olathe Northwest, where he’s been involved in varsity football, senior committee and Raven Service Club. He will attend Kansas State University in the fall with plans to major in biology, with a minor in Spanish.

“My personal aspiration is to attend medical school,” Logan said. “My career goal is to become a doctor and help with medical advancements in third-world countries. Being nominated for this scholarship is a privilege because of the scholarship’s developer. Darol Rodrock developed this scholarship to reward students who believe the world can be a better place and want to contribute to that. This is something I firmly believe going forward in my career.”

The Rodrock Vision Scholarship Program prides itself on being “a worthwhile investment in a brighter future for us all.” And with talented students like these, the future looks very bright indeed.

For more information, visit Rodrock.com/scholarship-program.

This story was originally published May 15, 2015 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Rodrock Vision Scholarships awarded to talented students."