Riverview High School Homecoming Queen 2003
We awarded the first “Fly High Award” recipients in the spring of 2007 with over $8500 in scholarships. In 2008, eleven aspiring young ladies from Riverview High School were awarded over $12,500 during a difficult economic year. Our first annual fundraiser was established with the generosity of an in-kind donation from Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine by hosting a wine-tasting venue with over $8,000 raised. In 2009 and every year thereafter our goal is to award an additional $5,000 and expand the applicant pool to Sarasota County high school seniors. Additionally, our aspirations include adding at least one additional fundraiser per year to exceed our donation goals.
We accept and appreciate any donation amount to the Katelyn Joy Derstine Scholarship Fund, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not for profit organization. All donations will be used solely to benefit female Sarasota County high school seniors through an educational scholarship.
We thank you in advance for considering and supporting our efforts as we share one of the many testimonials from one of our 2008 “Fly High Award” recipients.
3 Generations:Nannie, Mom & G8rGirl Katelyn @ UF 2005
Testimonial from one of our 2008 "Fly High Award" Recipients
Hey Bambi!
This is Ashley Snyder, one of the 2008 Fly High recipients. I have been so extremely busy with school, and I apologize for not writing sooner. I saw you at Da Ru Ma (in August I think), but you looked pretty busy, so I did not say anything. I just wanted to thank you for choosing me to receive one of Katelyn's scholarships this past year. Financially, it has helped more than you will ever know. The Sheriff's Department has been making lots of cuts, and these added funds have helped relieve some of the stresses that paying for college has caused. You are always keeping busy with fundraisers and other things, and I just wanted to remind you that what you are doing is making a HUGE difference in the lives of the people you touch. I could never go through what you have had to endure these last few years. Yet through it all, you remain strong and give me and the other young ladies a role model to look up to. You are a remarkable woman, and I can only hope to impact as many lives and encourage as many people as you do on a daily basis. Katelyn's postcard is hanging in my dorm room. I look at it everyday- no joke! On the days that nothing seems to go the right way, I just read the poem and it gives me that little burst of energy; just enough so I can take a deep breath in and remind myself that I CAN do this.
And just a quick update: This is my second semester up here at UF (GO GATORS!). I love it and am happy to say that this is definitely where I was supposed to end up. I still want to be a doctor, but who knew that there could be like 150 different science classes?! I am the treasurer for my dorm, Jennings Hall. And I am also the director for the Winterball this December. But as great as that is, it's even GREATER to be a Florida Gator!
I hope everything is going well with you and your family. I cannot wait to see the pictures from this year's Fly High recipients! :) Thank you again for EVERYTHING you have done. I can not thank God enough for bringing the people like you into my life who encouraging me to be more than I ever thought possible. I hope you always stay the strong, determined, and life-changing woman that you are today.
Love from "The Swamp",
Ashley
