A joint effort of the Ethical Society of Northern Virginia and five other area religious congregations resulted in scholarship awards to 10 high school seniors, six from South Lakes H.S. and four from Herndon H.S., at their honors assemblies in June.  This was the first year the Ethical Society participated in the Jennifer Mitchell Memorial Fund, but the19th year students have benefited from gifts from the fund.  The fund was established to recognize graduating seniors who have attained a solid record of achievement despite economic, family, linguistic, or other difficulties that would have impeded less dedicated and determined students.

The following seniors at the two schools received scholarships (ranging from $750 to $1600): 

At South Lakes High School in Reston (with intended major and college): 

Nevin Albert, Jr., journalism at Virginia Commonwealth University

Angela Castaneda, administration of justice at Northern Virginia Community College Kekeli Houngbeke, international studies at Randolph College

Charlie K. Im, music education at McDaniel University

Eden Kassa (pre-med) biology at Juniata College

Julie Shayka, sociology at New York University. 

At Herndon High School:

Mathias Frye, criminal justice at Norfolk State University

Sharmea Grissom, business at Old Dominion University

Civanna Hoffman, hospitality business management at East Carolina University

Kunal Kumar, political science at George Mason University.

This year, the Ethical Society, the five other congregations (Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, St. Anne's Episcopal Church, St. John Neumann Catholic Church, St. Thomas à Becket Catholic Church, and the Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston), and individual donors contributed almost $13,000 to the fund.  The fund is named after Jennifer Mitchell, who was a Herndon H.S. senior when she died in an automobile accident in 1990.