ML's Dollars for Scholars present awards

MEDICAL LAKE - Nearly four dozen students were recognized at the annual Medical Lake Dollars for Scholars scholarship program June 5.

A total of $59,125 in scholarships were presented to 44 students by Medical Lake Dollars for Scholars volunteers and more than 15 community organizations, individuals and families.

"The Medical Lake Dollars for Scholars has been an incredibly amazing opportunity for me," said Cameron Dickey, a 2021 graduate and four-year scholarship recipient attending Washington State University. "With how competitive so many of the scholarships are, having a small local scholarship is a genuine blessing to apply for."

Scholarship Chairwoman Sherry Niblock said the cost of higher education continues to increase each year, and with the financial impacts of the pandemic, families and students often struggle to funds.

"Today's graduates face unprecedented challenges in funding their educational endeavors," Niblock said. "Post-secondary prices have soared across all institution and program types, increasing an astonishing 59% between 2000 and 2020, a pace not even touched by wage growth, and graduates are drowning in over $1.78 trillion in student loan debt."

The scholarships help alleviate some of the financial burden, she said.

"I am excited that this year we were able to award 44 deserving MLHS graduates almost $60,000, the largest amount in our organization's history," Niblock said.