Meet the 2024 William “Rev. Bill” McDonald Scholarship Winners

Congratulations to MWSA’s 2024 scholarship winners, Brennan Kenville and Donovan Kirby. The first place winner received a $1000 check, and both the winner and runner-up received winner frames and certificates and an MWSA challenge coin.

Brennan Kenville was MWSA’s first place scholarship award winner for his essay entitled “What Patriotism Means to Me.” Brennan is a junior at Basha High School in Chandler, AZ. MWSA Vice President Valerie Ormond was his sponsor, and had this to say about him.

“Brennan is an outstanding young man who is a leader in his school’s Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) unit. We were honored to host Brennan and his family for a tour of the United States Naval Academy, which he is considering attending, although we know his first choice is the United States Air Force Academy. During that tour, we discussed an upcoming family friend’s100th birthday celebration in Chandler, Arizona, which is where he lives. He volunteered to have his unit perform at this Navy WAVES’s (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) event, and it was the highlight of the night. It is so nice to see the spirit of volunteerism alive and well, and I hope Brennan is an inspiration to others.”

Following is his essay :

There is a common motto in the military and its related organizations, Non Sibi Sed Patriae- Not for self but for country, and I believe that this phrase exemplifies the true meaning of patriotism. To me patriotism is not simply liking your country, but acting in ways that put the country’s citizens’ needs above one’s own. In addition, true patriots are those who, through their actions, prioritize the people of their country instead of their own goals. But how is a patriotic action defined? I believe that the intent of the action is the distinguishing factor.

When this intent involves helping the citizens of the country, directly or indirectly, the action is patriotic. Following this, the actions themselves can range wildly but all carry the common theme of serving the nation’s citizens. From protecting them through the military, serving our country as a politician, or giving direct aid through humanitarian work.

Even though there is such a wide range of ways to be considered a patriot, I believe that two relatives of mine truly embody patriotism, in the manner that I define it and all its values. First, my great-grandfather Louis Lavitt was truly an American patriot and embodied all of its values. Even at a young age, he already incorporated service in his life when at 14 he left home and attended Stanton Military Academy and later Syracuse University. His formal military service began at the onset of WWII where, with some difficulty due to losing 3 fingers at a young age in an accident, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. In the service, he wasn’t eligible to fly combat missions due to his disability, so instead he trained pilots on one of the first flight simulators, the Link. Another duty of his was accompanying newly enlisted soldiers on trains heading to basic training.

After the war, Louis retired as a Sergeant and although his military service was done, he continued to embody patriotic values though politics and humanitarian work. On the political front, he and his wife worked hard to get people to vote and keep people informed for the sake of others. Throughout his life he served to indirectly help this nation’s citizens, helping to protect them in the war and better the country through politics, but Louis also had a direct impact on the people. He and his wife were known to help put people through college, feed the needy, and generally be great citizens. His biggest contribution was the assistance in the creation of the International Myeloma Foundation that, to this day, helps to save thousands of lives of people living with multiple myeloma cancer. Louis was proud to be an American. In his later years, his granddaughter, Ilana, would ask him where he was from, meaning his genealogical roots. His reply every time —“I’m American.”

The other person that I believe truly embodies patriotism is my grandfather, Robert Morra. Robert has always had a love for his country, and this love led him to enlist in the Army in 1962. During his stint in the Army, Robert was a member of the Artillery Corps, and was active through the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy’s assassination, and the onset of the Vietnam War. In 1965, he enrolled in college and became a science teacher. This transition marks the shift towards Robert’s long career in public service, and he continued this service in 1971 by becoming a part of the volunteer fire service in his town and through his service from then to the present, he has been the deputy chief for a large portion of that service.

Robert’s dedication to the country did not end there. In 1989, he was elected to the board of Selectman for his town of Bolton, CT. He continued to serve as a public servant and for 18 of his 33 years of service, he was elected first selectman, the equivalent of a mayor and police chief. To this day, he is on the Board of Selectmen and helps to prepare candidates for the First Selectman position. Throughout Robert’s political career, he has never lost an election, and this speaks to the fact that he is a great leader and pillar of the community that always puts the people’s needs first, and this is why I believe he is a true patriot. Throughout his life, Robert has always influenced and helped this nations citizens, from direct protection in the Army, teaching the nation’s youth, and serving the community both physically and politically. The constant dedication towards other citizens shown by Robert Morra distinguished him as a true patriot.

Although they lived very different lives, both of these great men served this nations citizens to the best of their ability. From Louis Lavitt’s’ service in the Air Corps to Robert Morra’s service in local office, the dedication to the citizens of the United States echoes through all their actions. And this dedication to their fellow citizens through action is the defining characteristic of a patriot. And that is what patriotism means to me – selflessly serving the people of this great country.

By Brennan Kenville

Our first runner-up was Donovan Kirby who was sponsored by MWSA Past President Bob Doerr. Donovan’s following essay answers the question “Why is public school better than private school?”

I have gone to both and while private school had better education, public school is a better place for me. Public school is best for me because of the people you get to meet, social skills development, real world preparedness, networking opportunities, community engagement, and cost of engagements.

In private school there was a small amount and a small demographic of people. While in high school there a lot more people and a bigger demographic. This has helped me learn how to interact with different types of people and learn about their culture and gave me the perspective on the real world.

The large number of people in public school helped me work on my social skills. While I was in private school, I was antisocial in large public settings, but since my public school is so big I’ve learned how to act and be comfortable in a public setting.

With learning these social skills I have also formed lifelong friendships and connections. The connections I have can also turn into multiple networking activities as public schools usually do have a better alumni network than private schools. These networking opportunities can help me in the future while looking for jobs, internships, and mentorship.

Public school also offers more extra-curriculars than private school since they are government funded. Most private schools can’t have sports like football since it’s expensive to have a field and pads. Public schools usually provide a stronger but fair competition level as well as there is an excess amount of public schools compared to private schools.

Private school also provides a more sheltered experience than public school. Public school in contrast gives a more real world experience. With its larger student body and diversity it teaches us how to navigate through many different social situations that we might encounter in real life.

Public schools are also more tied to its surrounding community by doing lots of events, job fairs, college fairs, and partnerships with local businesses which help for networking opportunities. They also provide multiple events to give back through service and donations which helps with college and job applications. It’s also good to give back in general.

Public school is also free while private school is expensive and has to be paid for. Public school provides a potentially better experience for free while providing free things like sports and lunches. Private school might provide a better education but since it’s expensive it is sheltered since usually it is mainly attended by wealthy people.

In conclusion, public school provides a better social experience while being an overall more efficient place to go. Public school better prepares its students for the real world and gives them more opportunities to expand their resume and join the workforce and/or go to college. Private schools do excel in having better education but for me I enjoy public school more because of the people I got to meet and the social skills I developed that private school could never give me.

 By Donovan Kirby

Thank you to our Scholarship Chair, Rob Lofthouse for running an outstanding program, and thank you to our volunteer judges for their time and effort.

MWSA Scholarship Essay Winner

The winner of the 2023 William “Rev. Bill” McDonald Scholarship was Faith Nunez of Piper High School, Kansas City, KS, sponsored by member Rob Lofthouse. Faith is a young lady itching to get out there and influence others through a career in art therapy. She is well-read, golfs for fun, engages in debate, and finds comfort in her artwork. She has given much thought to what she wants to do with her life. This MWSA scholarship award will enable her to further develop her talents, realize her vision of the American dream and soar with her unique abilities. I’m honored to be involved in this small way with her success.

Winning Essay

Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.
Adams, J. T. (1931). The epic of America. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company.

People from all over the world have been chasing the American Dream for hundreds of years. To this day, the American Dream is what we all hope to achieve—a life where we are not defined by our class, the color of our skin, or how much money is in our bank accounts. For me, being an American means gaining an education, defining my own identity, and deciding the impact I have on this world.

I value my education above all else. In many countries, it is not guaranteed that women receive an education at all. For example, in Afghanistan, it is illegal for girls to get an education. America represents the right to be educated, especially as a woman. Learning is not just the process of receiving data like a computer. It is the process of being able to think critically. The education system teaches us how to prioritize knowledge and learning. It teaches us how to use the knowledge to benefit us in the future.

Acquiring an education does not always involve books and the knowledge we can gain from them, but education can also involve the practice of a skill.

The most enjoyable form of education I have received is learning how to make ceramics. I have hand-built vases, thrown many different forms on the potter’s wheel, and learned how glazing works. From a young age, I was interested in art, but learning how to make ceramics has truly blossomed my passion for art and its different forms. Taking ceramics classes made me realize I would like to pursue a career in Art Therapy. Education has the ability to expose people to passions and knowledge. The knowledge we learn gives us the ability to make a difference and impact others. It is what connects us all together and leads us to the American Dream. America thrives from individuality. We are encouraged to pursue uniqueness. What enables us to be unique is that we get to make our own choices. Our freedom of choice lets us explore anything and everything. Not only do we have the right to individuality, but choice leads us to happiness. We get to pursue happiness for as long as we would like, in any kind of way. To be American means to have a choice to be whomever I want to be and to guide my future as it relates to my own American Dream.

Over the past four years, my main focus has been on debate, golf, and art. These activities have changed me for the better. From debate, I have learned how to communicate complex concepts to other students and to adults. Golf has taught me how to be resilient and even-tempered. Art has taught me to be detail oriented but to not take for granted the feeling art is supposed to communicate.

Choice has enabled me to have goals for who I want to be, what I want to be, and where I want to be. What I like most about individuality being ingrained into the American Dream is that there are limitless possibilities—limitless possibilities for me to decide how successful I would like to be, where my interest lie, and what I want to do with my life. America was founded on the idea we should be able to make changes to our nation if we decide that it is best.

America is a place where we can make a change. Whether it is impacting one person’s life or a system the whole world works upon, we get to make an impact at the end of the day. It is our job to decide what kind of impact we would like to make. I hope to influence people in my life by being kind, compassionate, and honest.

By doing this, I desire to be dependable and trustworthy. I want to be a person whom people can go to when they need help or need a listening ear. Career-wise, I would like to make as big of an impact as I can. Whether helping people resolve past trauma or writing a book about an open studio-concept art therapy program.

I dream to show people how important art is to who we are as people and as a society. Art is a form of communication often overlooked. Oftentimes, art can express so much more than words can. It can spread awareness, knowledge, and even emotions. Art could be a coping mechanism for past trauma or an expression of who we are.

I hope to teach people to lean on art during difficult times—that it will make them feel more connected to people. I want to change the perception art must be perfect and no one can attempt it. Art is never perfect because it represents us as people, and we are far from perfect. I hope to make an impact by teaching people art is a reflection of who we are.

Overall, being an American means having the ability to acquire education through knowledge and practice. To be able to be unique, and to decide what kind of impact we make on the rest of the world. All three of these are catalysts to following a passion, which is the most important aspect of being an American.

Having a passion fuels inspiration and determination to follow the American Dream and gives us the ability to support and encourage others to achieve their own version of the American Dream.