August Single-Parent Scholarship Winners

After carefully reviewing all 236 of August’s Single-Parent Scholarship applications, our selection committee narrowed the pool down to two very qualified candidates. John Kaleo and Shane Duggan are two single dads who are ambitious, dedicated, and deserving. Our committee spent hours deliberating the relative merits of Mr. Kaleo and Mr. Duggan only to find themselves stuck on which applicant to award with the scholarship. Both applicants were so strong that the committee simply could not decide where the scholarship was best deserved.

File this one under “Problems We Like to Have.”

In the end, SR Education Group decided to award both men with their own $2,000 Single-Parent Scholarship. Congrats to John Kaleo and Shane Duggan, co-recipients of the SR Education Group August 2012 Single-Parent Scholarship!

John Kaleo

John Kaleo will soon start the two-year welding program at Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Washington. John has a background in construction and is happiest in his work when he is creating something lasting with his hands. A career in welding will give John this satisfaction while providing him with a stable, flexible job to support his two daughters. John’s application reflected his desire to be creative in his work:

I am happiest in my work when I am creating a durable substance with my hands. I put a part of me into everything I build. To be able to assist in the creation of something physically lasting every day at work will give me great pride and satisfaction. I will wake up every day being sincerely happy to go to work.

John is equally as excited about how this positive career change will impact his daughters. Even with tips, John’s minimum-wage job isn’t enough to make ends meet. A career in welding will allow John to make enough money to provide the right life for his two girls. We’re excited to see the great changes in store for John and his family. Congratulations, John Kaleo!

Shane Duggan

Shane Duggan has been a single parent since his son was born 11 years ago. Right now, Shane is unsatisfied with the life that he’s able to provide his son. In order to remedy this situation, Shane is studying interdisciplinary studies and biomedical science at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, with the hopes of one day becoming a dentist. Shane’s dreams don’t stop there, however. Shane hopes to give back to the less fortunate by practicing at a community clinic for the poor and uninsured. We were particularly struck by Shane’s desire to provide for both his son’s financial and spiritual well-being:

The breeze of life is going to blow against him many times throughout his life. It is those future moments that I hope he will be able to close his eyes and remember when his father made something out of nothing, against all odds. In a sense, he will learn more from this experience than I will.

Thank you Shane for your dedication and ambition!