"These awards can provide the financial start to college or trade school for kids that otherwise might not attend because of the cost."
Bixby High School graduating seniors are eligible for the Rotary Club of Bixby Scholarship, comprised of two separate $3,000 awards for two students to attend a Community College, University, or Trade School.
The Rotary Club of Bixby Scholarship winners for 2008 are Samuel Adam Phillips and Taylor McWherter. The awards were presented April 3 at the B.E.E.F academic awards Program at Bixby High School.
Samuel/Adam will be attending Tulsa Community College this fall.
"I am very interested in math, computers and landscaping. Eventually I hope to have a landscape design business," Samuel/Adam said.
Taylor plans on attending Harding University (Searcy, AR) in engineering and also will play football there.
"I plan to get a job with a well established engineering company or start an engineering company of my own," Taylor said.
B.E.E.F. is a 501c(3) organization that is 100 percent focused on Bixby students and teachers. In February 2008, B.E.E.F. awarded $56,000 in grants to Bixby teachers, plus at the April 3 event, $59,250 in scholarships to Bixby High School graduating seniors.
The Nik Hanig Memorial Scholarship now has two separate $2,000 awards available to children and grandchildren of the Rotary Club of Bixby members.
The Rotary Club of Bixby administers these two Scholarships. The first recipient (2006) was Mark Bodily, who is attending Tulsa Community College.
Mark is the son of Robert and Denise Bodily. The 2007 award went to Kurt Robinson, attending Santa Clara University, son of Jim and Tena Robinson. The 2008 winner will be announced in late May.
The four Rotary Club of Bixby scholarships are not typical college scholarship.
No particular emphasis is given to grade point average or ACT score.
"We want this award to make a difference in the life of a student who may not otherwise be able to begin college", Harry Hanig said.
"We are looking for a student with only average grades, who won't be winning any academic scholarships, but who expects to attend a community college or a trade school. Financial need is important, but we are also looking for a student who demonstrates the Rotary's motto, 'Service Above Self ' in their activities and day-to-day life," said Hanig.
Hanig is passionate about these types of scholarships. He is involved with several in memory of his son. Nik Hanig was one of four children of Harry and Carolyn Hanig who attended Broken Arrow schools. Nik was an average student but excelled in extra curricular activities - wrestling, football, weight lifting, and fishing. Nik's sense of humor and true-to-self style attracted many friends. He and another student were killed in a car accident returning from fishing at Grand Lake when he was 17.
Through the effort of Nik's mother and numerous supporters, the Buckle Up For Nik campaign began.
Nik was a backseat passenger and not wearing a seat belt, which was not a primary law in Oklahoma at the time.
Carolyn spoke to the Oklahoma governor and met with both the Oklahoma Senate and House of Representatives about the need for increased seat belt safety laws.
The Oklahoma primary seat belt law was passed that same year.