David Barton Pedersen Scholarship 2012

When the David Barton Pedersen Scholarship comes around it is BY FAR one of my favorite times of the year.  I have had the amazing opportunity to photograph all the students that are involved with this special scholarship for the past 3 years. Each student has a truly inspiring story and they are all so deserving of the reward being offered.  This year 31 students, almost double the number that applied last year, wrote essays that explained how they use the skills they have learned in Mrs. VandenAkker's class to stay drug free and overcome trials in their lives.  Mrs. V's class, Techniques for Tough Times, is hard to summarize because it incorporates so many different skill sets.  Among many other things, her class helps students understand how to be assertive, to communicate more meaningfully with others, to set goals, to resist peer pressure, and to have a voice.  The Pedersen family lost their son to a drug overdose seven years ago and this scholarship was created to honor their son and help other students understand why it is important to be drug free.  The Pedersens are always so positive and really portray the true meaning of charity.  Instead of focusing on their tragedy, the Pedersens focus on how they can make a difference in other peoples lives.

The generosity of the Pedersens leaves me, along with many others, moved to tears every year.  This year was no different as Mr. and Mrs. Pedersen gave each student that applied a scholarship for $500 - $1,000.  This family is truly honoring their son.  Again, I am so grateful to be a part of such an incredibly uplifting experience.  Below are photos of each of the students that were displayed at the scholarship presentation.

sa