The Soroptimist International of Downriver awarded six women with financial assistance to pursue their goals of continuing their education.
The women were selected based on essays that assessed their contributions to women and society. The awards banquet was held on March 4, at Biddle Hall in Wyandotte.
The following were the awards and the winners:
The Live Your Dream Education and Training Award was established in 1972 to provide monetary assistance to women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families to obtain the skills-training or undergraduate degree program necessary to improve their employment status and standard of living for themselves and their family. Each year, over $3 million is awarded to more than 1,800 women in Soroptimist's member countries and territories.
* Maria Burkett, of Ecorse, was one winner of Live Your Dream Award. The single head of her household, the mother of a 17-year-old and a 22-month-old, has overcome many obstacles on her way to an associate's degree at Wayne County Community College, while working ninety hours per week.
"Becoming the primary income earner in my household at just fourteen-years-old set the stage for a path of responsibility and growth," Burkett said. "Despite the struggles, I've always aimed to better myself and prioritize education, knowing it is the key to a brighter future for my family."
* Detroit's DeAnisha Alexander was the other winner. She is a full-time working mother of children nine, 11, and 15. After being out of school for eleven years, she is pursuing a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn with a major in human services, with the goal to be a social worker for elementary-age children. A car accident, the death of the children's father, and her son's reluctance to attend school, spurred her resolve to continue her education.
Alexander said, "It teaches my children about resilience and the importance of lifelong learning. I genuinely want them to know that no matter the setbacks they may face, they can still pursue their goals and dreams."
The Virginia Wagner Educational Award is given to a woman aspiring to complete a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree to enable her to reach her career goals. Judging is based on a weighted criteria for judging that includes scholarship, extra-curricular activities, need, and effort toward education.
* Rose Kilburn, of Wyandotte, was one winner. She is a full-time, 4.0 student currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in music education at Eastern Michigan University, while also working as a marching band instructor and DoorDash delivery driver. Music has always helped her severe anxiety disorder, so becoming a music instructor to help others is her goal.
* Trenton's Rachelle DeArmond, was the other winner. She expects to complete her master's degree at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in computer and information science next year. She worked as a junior programmer after she obtained her associate's degree, and then went on to complete her bachelor's degree in computer information science, while working as well. DeArmond lost her fiancé in 2023, but leans on her faith to be an example for her daughter.
The Soroptimist Prime Award is exclusive to Soroptimist International of Downriver. High school girls residing in Allen Park, Brownstown, Ecorse, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, River Rouge, Riverview, Southgate, Taylor, Trenton, Woodhaven, or Wyandotte are eligible to apply for the $1,000 award. The Soroptimist Downriver High School Girls' Award honors young women who make the community and world a better place through volunteer efforts.
* Lilly Truel, a junior at Southgate Anderson High School, was one winner. She began volunteering as counselor at VIP Camp Connect, a summer recreational program for disabled children and young adults. It was there that she realized that wheelchair-bound people were excluded from most of the park activities. Truel designed Wings 4 Wheelchairs for her Girl Scout Gold Award project, which focused on creating a national disability inclusion education and advocacy platform. Through multi-media exposure for funding, she reached over a million people. Partnering with the city of Southgate, a wheelchair-accessible platform and an ADA adult harness swing were installed. In addition to our Soroptimist Prime award, Truel has been recognized with the U.S. Presidential Service Award. Shel was the first winner from Southgate.
* The second Soroptimist Prime award winner was Elizabeth Rumley, a senior at Grosse Ile High School. Her involvement with Court Appointed Special Advocates, an organization for children under the care of the court system whose parents have been incarcerated, began as a freshman. Rumley coordinated holiday programs to provide toys, pajamas, gloves, and mittens to the children of CASA; and updated the system's community service resource guide.
The Downriver Soroptimist organization meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at the Woodhaven Community Center. All women are welcome to attend. For more information, email [email protected] or visit the organization on Facebook page at facebook.com/SoroptimistInternationalOfDownriver?