The Belleville Rotary Club celebrated its 67th Annual Scholarship program on May 22 when it distributed 10 academic scholarships, worth $1,500 each.
Five of the scholarships were to graduating seniors of Belleville High School. They are:
• Angela Bloodworth, heading to Northern Michigan University this fall to study zoology and conservation;
• Jennifer Henry, heading to the University of Michigan this fall to study psychology and foreign languages;
• Zachary Juchartz, heading to Michigan State University to study pre-law and, maybe, business;
• Jacob Long, Valedictorian of the BHS Class of 2012, heading to Vanderbilt University to study psychology and pre-med to become a surgeon; and
• Maya Jana’e Smith, heading to Sterling College with the goal of becoming a lawyer.
The Rotary also renewed the scholarships of five past scholarship winners with grants of $1,500 each:
• Joshua Henning, attending the University of Detroit-Mercy, with the goal of becoming an ophthalmologist;
• Brittany Rae Myers, attending Schoolcraft College, with the goal of becoming a psychologist;
• Rebecca Overholt, attending Central Michigan University, with the goal of becoming an online journalist;
• Shawn Paulo, attending Wayne State University, with the goal of a career in physical therapy; and
• Erica Porzondek, attending Hope College, studying communications and creative writing, with the goal of being a broadcaster in New York City.
The Belleville Rotary Scholarship Committee is made up of chairperson Debbie Juchartz and Rotarians Dave Brown, Rob Coutts, and Glenn Silvenis.
The scholarship funds primarily come from the Rotary’s Charles B. Cozadd Rotary Foundation. Since the scholarship program’s inception, the Belleville Rotary has awarded nearly $400,000 in scholarships to BHS students.
Juchartz urged the students to come back and visit the club when they are in town and to volunteer for some of the club’s fund-raising events. She reminded them that the Rotary Club has invested in their futures and would like to have updates on how their investments are doing.
Keynote speaker for the evening was Harlan Whichello, a 38-year member of the Romulus Rotary Club, a local businessman, a Belleville native, and a Belleville High School Distinguished Graduate (graduating from BHS in 1963). He also is a former Rotary District Governor.
Whichello said he grew up about two blocks from the Methodist Church where the club was meeting and was related to almost half the town at the time, noting there were only 1,000 residents in those days.
He said if you did something wrong, by the time you got home, your parents knew about it.
Whichello gave a brief presentation on the five things that are important to success in life.
He said Health is important, but that isn’t in your control for the most part. Also, Memory is important, but you can work on that.
Whichello said the third thing is, “Never Give Up.” If you commit to things, do them. He said he still regrets quitting the BHS football team in his senior year because of his temper.
No. 4 is: “Work as hard as you can as long as you can.”
Whichello said you will out-achieve other people, if you flat-out work harder.
“You don’t have to be better, just work harder,” he stated.
His fifth bit of advice for success is to “Pay back – do something for other people. It doesn’t have to be big, but just do something.”
He said, as the Rotary Club urges, “Give of your time, talent, and treasury.”
Rotary President Joyce Rochowiak welcomed the dignitaries and families to the event and Don Juchartz , treasurer of the Cozadd Foundation, was master of ceremonies.