Stacy Gulseth. BACC

APR 06, 2021

For the first time, the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Education and Workforce Committee awarded three local students with a $500 scholarship each to further their education. What an honor it is as a community to give back to our youth and help them further their education! Whether it be going to a community college, university, or vocational trades school, all are great choices for students who are driven and looking to get ahead in their careers. Students were selected based on their outstanding leadership roles, service in their schools, community, academic ability, and character. 

The committee was able to conduct two successful fundraisers which brought in over $1,000 despite the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we were still a little short of our goal of $1,500. Since this has been a taxing year for everyone in the community, we decided that we were not going to seek donations from our local businesses. Unknown to us, a donation of $500 was graciously donated to the scholarship foundation by the Pony Village Mall. Thank you everyone for your participation and contributions to this successful event.

Congratulations to our scholarship winners! 

Mariia Semenchuk - Marshfield High School
Jared Bower - North Bend High School
Julia Graves - Southwestern Community College

Jared Bower Solomon is a North Bend High School Senior. 

He has been involved in a variety of music-based activities throughout his high school career including leading sections in Select and Jazz Choir, the Symphonic, Jazz and Marching Bands, Southwestern Oregon Community College Orchestra, Oregon Coast Lab Band, and helped create a student-led rock band named Saturnalian. Jared has been recognized and received several notable awards including the Gustafson Award/Scholarship at Classical NATS for Outstanding High School Performance, OMEA District Bass Campion since 2015 as well as OMEA State Bass Champion, 3rd place at Lower High School Men at Musical NATS, OMEA 1st and 5th place at State High School Bass, and 2nd place at Upper High School Men at Classical NATS and he is the only choir section leader at NBHS to lead   rehearsals   for   other   voice   types.   In addition to being involved in music, Jared is as well-rounded as they come. He is a member of Z Club, Astronomy Club, and the National Honors Society along with creating a software manual on Track and Field and mentoring and judging the contestants for Bullpup Idol. Jared has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his four years of high school while taking challenging courses that have earned him college credit. After Jared graduates from high school, he will be venturing off to OSU and seeking a Bachelor of Music degree in music education so he can teach middle school and high school students.

Julia Graves is a first-year student at SWOCC. 

She is president of the Student Support Service Club. She organizes community events as well as a variety of fundraising events where the club members partner and volunteer with Habitat for Humanity in the Collegiate Challenge. She is also a member of the Golden Z Club, a webmaster and editor in chief of the League of Women Voters, a member of the NBMC Patient Advisory Committee and a youth group leader at Calvary Church with junior high and high school students. Julia is currently maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Her goal is to earn an Associates of Art degree at Southwestern Oregon Community College with an Oregon transfer to Southern Oregon University where she will earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Healthcare Administration. Upon completion, she plans to attend Pacific University and earn a master’s in

Physician Assistant Studies. Julia says, “While it took me over a decade to find my passion and pathway, I am proud to say that I have overcome obstacles and will continue to do so.” She says that there is a shortage in primary and special care providers and her goal is to help fill that gap by serving rural Oregon communities as a Physician Assistant.

Mariia Semenchuck is a Marshfield High School Senior.

She is involved in Z Club, National Honor Society where she was voted into the office as secretary, and a member of Science National Honor Society. Mariia has received numerous awards where she completed the Basic Allied Healthcare Certificate of Completion as a junior, received the Student Merit of College Literature award, was recognized for Superior Performance and Outstanding Accomplishments in College Calculus and AP Biology for the 2020 school year and was 2020 student of the year. With all her school involvement, she still finds time to donate countless hours to her community volunteering at Shore Acres, STEM events, community and campus clean-ups just to name a few. Mariia’s academic achievements are equally as impressive as her personal character. She is ranked 1 out of 135 of her senior class maintaining a 4.0 cumulative GPA for the past 5 years at Marshfield while taking the most rigorous courses offered which have earned her college credits which she is on the path of earning her Honors diploma. Mariia has taken the opportunity of earning college credits one step further. During her junior year of high school, she entered the dual enrollment program earning both high school and college credit at the same. Upon graduating this June and receiving her high school Honors diploma, Mariia will also be awarded with an Associate of Applied Science degree. This spring, 2021, she will be applying to Southwestern Oregon Community College two-year nursing program and working towards her Associates of Applied Science in nursing after high school.