By MAGGIE MCMURRAY
Moapa Valley Progress
A pair of people, who felt a desire to further the cause of education and serve the community, have organized a new scholarship fund for graduating seniors at Moapa Valley High School.
Mitchell W. Smith, Sr. and Christina Lynne Earon share a dream of being able to help kids that have higher education ambitions; not only college but also trade school.
The two felt that, though there are many scholarships out there, there are never enough to go around. So they banded together and began SmithLynne Charities, Inc. Through this organization, they seek to help more local kids achieve their dreams.
“I was valedictorian of my graduating class and only received one scholarship,” Earon said. “I know it can be difficult to find scholarships, especially when you are from a small town. We want to make this as simple and easy as possible by providing opportunities to the youth of this valley.”
Last year, SmithLynne Charities, Inc., was able to do that for the first time.
“We participated in our first MVHS Senior Awards Night last May,” Earon said. “We were able to give out six scholarships totaling $3,250. We were really excited.”
But since the scholarship is so new, Earon wants this year’s seniors to know that it is out there and that they are encouraged to apply.
Smith and Earon stress that their scholarship is unique because it is not based solely on grades. They do provide traditional scholarships, but also want to help kids who want to go to trade schools.
Earon said that they have tried to make the application process as simple as possible. There are no minimum GPA requirements. Interested applicants must only be currently enrolled in high school, eligible to graduate, and pass the application process.
Students seeking a college scholarship must also submit two letters of recommendation, a 2 page essay, and a school transcript, in addition to the standard scholarship application.
Trade school applicants, on the other hand, only have to fill out the application and then participate in an in-person interview with no essay.
“We want to give kids who hope to go to trade school the same opportunity as traditional students,” Earon said. “But instead of writing about it, they can tell us about what they want to do with their life and how we can help them.”
SmithLynne Charities, Inc., hopes to be able to offer even more scholarships in the future. But they need more donations and are turning to the community for help.
“We would like to invite the community to help support our efforts and assist college students in having a life-changing experience that will help them graduate as well as obtain real-world skills and hands on experience,” Earon said. “By donating, you will help our local students receive an opportunity. Our organization relies on the generosity of individuals like you.”
She further explains that all donations are tax-deductible. In addition to monetary donations they also welcome donations of volunteer time and supplies.
Those interested in donating to SmithLynne Charities, Inc., can find more information at www.smithlynnecharitiesinc.org. They also have a Facebook page under SmithLynne Charities Inc., and an account set up at America First Credit Union under account #7605009. You can also contact them directly at smithlynnecharitiesinc@gmail.com or at (702)398-7742.
To help kids apply, they plan on putting on a scholarship workshop in early spring. “We are excited to begin this adventure with the students of Moapa Valley,” Earon said. “We look forward to working with everyone and building a stronger community.”
