2007 SAMARA FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANT RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED

The Samara Foundation is pleased to announce that three Vermont high school seniors received a total of $4,000 in scholarships in 2007.  Awards were made to:

Hannah Loso, a senior at Rutland High School, headed to UVM to study psychology.

She has been a peer leader at her high school as well as a peer trainer at the TREADS Conference at Castleton State College.  She is an active member of her school's Gay-Straight Alliance and describes herself as someone who has "dedicated a large part of [her] life to open-mindedness and care for the homosexual community."

While a slightly different kind of activist than her peers profiled below, Hannah has been active in her school, appears thoughtful about the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community, and genuinely disturbed by the bigotry and discrimination she has witnessed.  She's chosen to take a stand against prejudice, with passion and dedication, clearly expressing her belief in people's power to change.

Connor McFadden, a senior at Burlington High School, headed to UVM to study social work.

He has been active in the queer youth community for several years and has received public attention and well-deserved recognition for that work on several occasions. 

Connor has been featured in stories in the Burlington Free Press, received a "Hometown Hero" award from the United Way of Chittenden County for his work on behalf of Outright Vermont, and has been an active member of Outright as a youth leader, intern, and board member.  He has repeatedly stood up to tell his story as a young gay man and received both ample accolades and criticism for having done so.

Cameron Mack, a senior at Burlington High School, headed to Ithaca College. 

Cameron is a young trans man and an active participant in his community.  Prior to returning to Vermont, he attended seven high schools in different states; living in a group home around the corner from Outright Vermont, he visited and quickly became part of the organization's active core of young people.  Cameron has been co-president of his school's queer group and helped to organize events such as the Day of Silence, National Coming-Out Day, and a queer youth panel.

Cameron is clearly a tireless advocate and a passionate activist.  He has described in a compelling way his recognition that sometimes being an out queer person who lives life honestly and openly is the greatest form of activism he can engage in.

The members of Samara's Scholarship Committee are:

BJ Rogers of Burlington [chair], Peter Harrigan of Shelburne, Malcolm Lippert of Jericho, Pam Macy of Essex, Carol Maloney of Middlesex, Nari Penson of Winooski, Harry Scott of Hinesburg, Susan Sussman of Montpelier, and David Wales of Isle LaMotte.

SAMARA GRANT AWARDS

FOR 2007

.

Samara is also pleased to announce the awarding of $28,000 in grants to fifteen organizations which serve Vermont's LGBT community.  To read about the grants and the organizations to which they were made, click here.

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