JACOB D. ODEN CHARACTER – CITIZENSHIP SCHOLARSHIP
2018 Guidelines
Deadline for submission is:March 15th
About Jacob Oden
Well, my name is Jacob. The type of person I am is a whole different ball game...I think of myself as an introvert functioning daily as an extrovert...I try to be a humble and thoughtful person, although sometimes I miserably fail. I do enjoy helping people though. It gives me a sense of pride in myself that I don't get anywhere else."
—Jacob Oden
These are Jake's words, written about himself as an assignment at school almost exactly a year before he was killed in a car accident. If you were to look inside of his journal, you would see these quotes, which he read often:
“It doesn’t matter if you win as long as you give everything in your heart.”
“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something.
What I can’t accept is NOT TRYING.”
“You had a purpose before anyone else had an opinion.”
“Don’t count the days. Make the days count.”
“Give your best in offering.”
Jacob was gifted academically, a dedicated athlete, and had a richly beautiful bass singing voice. He also overcame struggles with depression, anxiety, and self-harm. Because he understood how difficult such struggles were, he began to seek out other teens who struggled and offered encouragement and support. He began making survivor bracelets and giving them to people as a show of faith, telling them that if he could find his way out of dark into the light, they could too. For weeks after Jacob’s death, his mom got personal messages on various social media sites from other teens across the nation saying things like: “You don’t know me but Jacob….
...helped my through my depression.”
...talked me through my anxiety attacks.”
…helped me stop cutting.”
...talked to me when I wanted to commit suicide.”
...was always there when I needed someone.”
...always encouraged me and would yell to me, ‘You got this!’”
...brought me back to God.”
Scholarship Requirements:
- Must be a senior attending Sterling High School.
- Participate in extra-curricular activities
- Involvement in community
- Involvement in a faith based organization
- 3 character reference letters
- Submit essay (minimum 225 words).Essay question is on page 3 of the application.
South Central Community Foundation Scholarship Requirements:
- Application must be typed and signed.
- No high school email address will be accepted.
- Leave no blanks- if not applicable please type NA.
- Must be received/postmarked by March 15th .
Failure to complete any of these requirements will disqualify your application from consideration.
If you have questions regarding this scholarship, please contact:
Sterling High SchoolSouth Central Community Foundation
Counselor: Tina Wohler(620) 672-7929
(620) 278-2171114 W. 5th Street | P.O. Box 8624|Pratt, Kansas 67124