ESA Helps Young Students Achieve Goals
Since its creation in 1996, the Electronic Security Association’s (ESA) Youth Scholarship Program has provided more than $300,000 in scholarships to the deserving sons and daughters of our communities’ police officers and fire fighters.
These students are awarded this money to ease the financial burden parents face when sending their children to college. Often, after the awards ceremony has come to an end and the check finally cashed, ESA loses track of these students. This makes it hard to gauge just how successful the program truly is.
This year is different, however, as ESA was pleased to receive a letter from the 2009 Youth Scholarship Program winner, Michael Stainbrook. Michael has provided ESA with definitive proof that this program not only matters to students like him, but how it lessens the pressure of paying for college and helps students like him shine.
In his letter Michael writes, “This support has greatly eased my family’s financial burden as I try to live college life to the fullest, in every positive connotation of the phrase. Without organizations such as [ESA], many college students would not have the advantages that I have had.”
Michael has been very active since enrolling at Ohio University where he was admitted to Ohio’s Honors Tutorial College, and has been writing for the independent paper The Post. As a journalism major, Michael was also fortunate to receive an internship at the Toledo Free Press, gaining precious on-the-job training.
"Michael stood out to us at ESA based on his scholastic success and written essay. It's not surprising that he's already taken his skills beyond the college environment and begun making extra contributions to the local community. It's with great pride that ESA can say we've helped students like Michael, who will be leaders in this country down the road," said Dave Simon ESA Scholarship Task Force Chairman.