Rodrock Development awards scholarships and Mom’s Council preps for summer fun

As the summer months have heated up, so have Rodrock Development’s efforts to build stronger neighborhoods. Both the development company itself and its one-of-a-kind Mom’s Councils have been busy making life a little sweeter for residents in Rodrock communities.

Among the company’s impressive endeavors was the bestowal of the Rodrock Vision Scholarship. Now in its 17th year, the Rodrock Vision Scholarship is offered to graduating seniors who live in a Rodrock community, and, as developer 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.”

This year’s winners included Mia Rosinski of Heatherstone, Emma Roush of Birchwood Hills, Mackenzie Meier of Manchester Park and Canyon Smith of Hunters Glen. The students all demonstrated community involvement, a desire to continue their education and high goals for their future. All were carefully chosen after completing a thorough application process that included written statements, character references and personal interviews.

“I am honored to have been given this amazing blessing,” Rosinski said. “I’m so humbled and thankful.” Her future plans include attending Avila University in the fall to major in Radiologic Science. She will also be running cross country and serving on the leadership team for Campus Ministry.

Roush just graduated from Blue Valley West, where she was on the dive team. “I’m honored to receive this scholarship and hope to use the money to pursue all my dreams in college. I’m attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the fall on a diving scholarship and want to major in kinesiology and continue on to get my doctorate in physical therapy.”

Smith, meanwhile, just graduated from Rockhurst High School, where he was captain of the lacrosse team and president of the patriotism club. He’s headed to Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis., to play lacrosse and study finance and says, “I’m really excited that I won the scholarship. I’m still trying to make college a little bit cheaper so every dollar helps.”

And Meier is most certainly on the go. She’s currently in the Dominican Republic with a group called Amigos de las Americas, volunteering alongside Dominican youth on sustainable service projects in the San Juan, Azua and Barahona regions. She’ll be attending the University of New Hampshire beginning in the fall of 2015, having deferred admission in order to take a gap year, during which she’ll participate in a Rotary International Student Exchange in Palermo, Italy.

While it’s exciting to see what great things these graduating seniors are embarking upon, younger children in Rodrock communities are most certainly not forgotten, thanks to the one-of-a-kind Mom’s Council. The Council, the creation of Darol Rodrock himself, is a way to help new neighborhoods get off to a great start.

An abundance of family-friendly activities are planned thanks to the Council, including spring egg hunts, Memorial weekend pool-opening parties, and pumpkin-carving contests, depending upon the community. In December, families adore the holiday hayride and caroling event, which features huge Belgian draft horses pulling wagons down luminary lit streets.

“These family-friendly, fun-filled events help new neighbors get to know each other and just enjoy some old-fashioned neighborhood entertainment,” said Brenda Sanders, president of Rodrock & Associates, Realtors. “Newcomers tell us all the time that living in a Rodrock Development community is more like living in a small town, where neighbors look out for one another.”

The Mom’s Councils in several communities — including Stonebridge Park, Stonebridge Trails, Stonebridge Meadows, Grey Oaks, and Forest View — are putting on bike parades to celebrate the Fourth of July. Kids are encouraged to decorate their bikes, strollers, wagons, or scooters and join in the annual bike-a-thon, which kicks off the holiday weekend and ends with an assortment of yummy treats.

Tammy Coody, the Mom’s Council coordinator, said the impact the Mom’s Council has on Rodrock communities is tremendous.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told how wonderful and grateful people are to have this concept offered to them,” she said. “Despite lives that are seemingly more and more busy, people are still eager to volunteer in their Mom’s Councils. Because of that, families of all ages get to have fun and meet each other.

“The upcoming Bike Parades are a great way for neighbors to celebrate the Fourth of July with an activity right in their own backyards. Many gather to parade around their streets with decorated bikes, strollers, wagons and more, and then enjoy refreshments provided by the Mom’s Council. What a great time to celebrate!”

For information on Rodrock communities and its unique Mom’s Council, visit Rodrock.com.

This story was originally published June 27, 2014 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Rodrock Development awards scholarships and Mom’s Council preps for summer fun."