For the fifth year in a row, East Pierce Fire and Rescue is honoring six local students with their Scholarship for Excellence Program.

The first three $250 scholarships were awarded to Bonney Lake Senior Alise McCoy, Sumner Senior Carly Lange, and White River Senior Amanda St. John.  All three are planning to enter the field of nursing.

These three scholarships are given to a graduating senior at each of the high schools within the East Pierce Fire District. To be eligible, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and intend to enter the fields of firefighting, law enforcement, medicine, or social work.

Sam O’Leary, son of EPFR FF/EMT Brian and Vol. EMT Deann O’Leary, received the $500 East Pierce VFA Family Scholarship. O’Leary is presently attending Washington State University and is studying Athletic Training. He plans to one day become a firefighter.

New this year is the VFA’s Community Scholarship benefiting high school seniors living within the fire districts boundaries, but attending schools outside of it. Breanna Clarke of Auburn-Riverside High School is the first ever winner of this $250 scholarship. Clarke hopes to become a physical therapist upon her graduation from Boise State University.

Bonney Lake Senior Meaghan Oakes won the first-ever $250 Doty Community Service Award, created in 2010 and named for retired Assistant Chief Jake Doty, who retired in 2010. Oakes has performed countless hours of community service volunteering at area hospitals, serving on youth advisory boards, and mentoring young children. She is also a 4.0 student and dreams of becoming a doctor.

This marks the fifth year of the Scholarship for Excellence Program

“We truly enjoy doing this year after year for the dedicated students of our community” said Sara Arneson, volunteer firefighter/EMT and chair of the VFA’s Scholarship Committee.

This year’s committee consisted of Arneson, Vol. FF/EMT Tim Balding, Vol. FF/EMT Kyle Mosher, Vol. EMT Deann O’Leary, and Vol. FF/EMT Chris Schenk.