For many high school seniors who plan to attend college, it can be a financially stressful time to figure out how to cover high university expenses.
However, the Owensville Chapter #370 Order of Eastern Stars, or OES, wanted to relieve some financial burden from one Clermont Northeastern, or CNE, graduating senior, Tiffany Drewry.
OES decided to create a scholarship–The Stephen Michael Edman Memorial Scholarship 2023–worth $1,000 in memory of Stephen Edman, who recently passed away in 2022. The scholarship will honor Edman’s considerable gifts to the community.
Edman was a 1965 CNE graduate, and his parents were also members of OES, and in his revocable trust, he named the chapter a generous sum of money.
“As soon as we found out that we were going to be given some money, we wanted to immediately give back to the community and start the scholarship,” Dee Ross-Kutler, a member of OES, said.
Ross-Kutler said the requirement for the scholarship is to write an essay about community service and to provide a financial needs basis list. She said the scholarship money has no restrictions to it. The money is for whatever Drewry deems necessary to help her in college.
“We didn’t want our scholarship to go to one of the top students because we know that they’re going to get help from other sources,” Ross-Kutler said. “We wanted to make a difference.”
Drewry will attend the University of Cincinnati, Raymond Walters Branch, and study dental hygiene; she also plans to play volleyball for the university.
With every scholarship Drewry has received, it has made her more determined to achieve her future plans, she said.
“Before these scholarships, I had doubts if I could pay for (college),” Drewry said. “I feel like these scholarships definitely push me more to know I can do it.”
Every year from now on, OES intends to award a CNE graduate with the scholarship in hopes it helps young students with their futures.
“We were just glad we were given the endowment to give this scholarship fund to those who need it and be able to continue it through the years,” Theresa Bragg, secretary for OES, said.