Lions Club awards 3 scholarships to ORHS graduates

The Oak Ridge Lions Club has awarded scholarships to three 2021 Oak Ridge High School graduates.

They are: Brianna Greer, Natalie Heston and Abagail Shanken. Each received $ 700.

“These young women amply deserved our scholarship. We are happy to have chosen them and know that they will do great things in their future endeavors, ”said Lion Larry Losh, chairman of the scholarship committee, in a press release.

“Greer, Heston and Shanken were selected from six finalists,” Losh continued. “Seventy-five students applied for the Lions scholarships. It was a very talented and highly competitive field to choose from.

Greer attended Berea College and studied nursing. She wishes to become a registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) with a specialty in labor. She is a member of the National Honor Society (NHS).

“I want to fight the discriminatory practices that occur in hospitals because of race and religion,” Greer said in the press release. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and a National High School Scholar.

Heston is majoring in Aerospace Engineering at Roane State Community College. She was a member of the NHS, Interact Club and worked in dealerships at high school games.

“I hope to become an aircraft accident investigator or an aerospace engineer,” Heston said in the statement. She plans to study two years at Roane State, earn an associate’s degree in mechanical engineering, and then move on to a four-year college.

Shanken is majoring in history at Roane State. She worked at Chick-fil-A while in high school.

“I would like to help people, but I want to travel. Shanken said in the statement. She can also work as a flight attendant.

Losh chaired the selection committee made up of Lions Ron Bugos, Ann Rigell, Bob Smallridge and George Smith.

“It’s great to see young people pursuing fields of study in which they feel passionate, as all of this year’s recipients seem to be doing,” said Losh.

The Lions Club plans to award additional scholarships next year to ORHS graduates of the class of 2022. Current seniors are encouraged to apply.

Lions Clubs work with the visually impaired and blind by supporting programs such as the Tennessee School For The Blind, Tennessee School for the Deaf, East Tennessee Eye Bank and Leader Dog training. The organization is also working to support diabetes awareness and fight the spread of measles.

The Oak Ridge Lions Club meets at noon on the second and fourth Monday of the month at Shoney’s Restaurant. Zoom options are also available. For more information, contact the club at (865) 297-3251.