The United Way of Southwest Michigan has announced the winners of its Youth Scholarship Awards. The United Way told us more:
United Way of Southwest Michigan is proud to bestow this year’s Volunteer United Youth Scholarship Awards to one winner from each of the three counties in its area—Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren—who have demonstrated a commitment to volunteerism through Creativity, Dedication, and Advocacy for Community Improvement throughout their high-school careers.
The 2023 Volunteer United Youth Scholarship recipients are Grace Larsen (Berrien County – St. Joseph High School), Elizabeth Pederson (Cass County – Edwardsburg High School), and Elizabeth Sell (Van Buren County – South Haven High School). These winners were selected by a panel of their peers.
Grace Larsen has an impressive and extensive volunteer resume with more than 1,000 volunteer hours. Grace has read stories at retirement homes, packed food backpacks with the Food Pantry of Southwest Michigan, tied blankets for hospice patients, and even created a program to provide weekend food to kids who are on free and reduced lunch. Grace founded an organization called Confidence Through Kindness to help middle school girls find their confidence and “feel comfortable in their skin.” She volunteers at the Berrien County Soup Kitchen, Girl Talk, Positivity Project, The House of the Way, and various other projects. As if volunteering doesn’t keep her busy enough, Grace has also held several titles such as Miss Michigan’s Outstanding Teen 2022, Miss Spirit of the State 2021, and others. Ever since Grace was a little girl, she wanted to help people. Her dream is to start homeless shelters around the country.
Elizabeth Pederson started volunteering in 6th grade and can’t see herself stopping anytime soon. Liz serves as President of the National Honor Society at Edwardsburg High School, Student Council Treasurer, and Miss Edwardsburg 2023. She is an assistant coach for Krush Volleyball Club and Edwardsburg High School Summer Camp, helped create production sets and costumes with United Youth Theater, helps at the Edwardsburg Food Pantry packing bags for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and helped with Stuff-A-Bus. Through Edwardsburg’s National Honor Society, Liz helped raise more than $50,000 through Operation Christmas and helped with blood drives. She loves to see the looks on the faces of the people that she’s serving when she volunteers, “They always look so excited and in awe and it’s such a beautiful thing to see that you’ve caused that.”
Elizabeth Sell has been involved in many different organizations, programs, and clubs throughout her life. In her time at South Haven High School, she has become a member of the Key Club, the Be Nice program, student government, the National Honor Society, the Peer to Peer Program, and the Youth Advisory Committee all of which have created endless volunteer opportunities. Some of those opportunities include more than 100 hours as a special needs mentor; helping with the Benton Harbor water crisis; toy, clothing, and blood drives; baking for first responders; advocating for mental health education and awareness; arranging bouquets for nursing homes; and more. Lizzy even performs music for several local parades. Not only does she volunteer countless hours, but she has received three Board of Education awards, is President of National Honor Society, and is in the top five in her class with high honors. She was inspired to volunteer by watching her parents. “From a young age, I watched my parents try to help others every chance they could, regardless of their financial situation or what they were personally going through in life. This motivated me to want to make the impact they made on other people.” She has enjoyed her volunteer experiences so much that she has chosen to pursue a field in human services.
“The youth in Southwest Michigan are impressive. So many of them spend time helping others regardless of their busy schedules. They see the needs of their neighbors and are designing programs or putting together teams to help address those needs. These teenagers are the future of our area, and if what they’ve already helped to accomplish is a predictor of our collective future, we think Southwest Michigan will be in great hands,” said Debbie Ramirez, Volunteer Engagement Director at United Way of Southwest Michigan.
