Northern Columbus Kiwanis supports and encourages higher education, which is why for over 30 years we have awarded college scholarships to graduating high school seniors.
Below are the two recipients of the 2024 Northern Kiwanis Club Scholarship: Bryce Presser and Damian Early. We wish them much success as they begin their college experience.
Congratulations to the 2024 Northern Kiwanis Scholarship recipients:
Bryce Presser, Thomas Worthington HS. 2024 scholarship winner
Bryce Presser’s curriculum at Thomas Worthington HS included Advanced Placement and Honors classes, along with courses at Central Ohio Technical College. His has a cumulative GPA of over 4.0. He was a member of the National Honors Society and Spanish National Honors Society. Bryce was a drum major in the TWHS marching band. He served as a committee chair for the student council and as class secretary. Bryce played alto saxophone in the TWHS wind ensemble, the TWHS pit orchestra, and the Columbus youth symphonic band (CYSB); tenor saxophone in the TWHS jazz program; and soprano saxophone in several saxophone quartets.
Bryce, a first-degree black belt in Taekwondo, co-Led the four TWHS drives last year bringing in a total of 25,000 items including books, canned food, coats, and other clothing.
As an Eagle Scout and member of Troop 365 Bryce has participated in cleanup of the Olentangy River, helped other troops working on obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout with their personal projects, and placed Veterans Day flags in cemeteries to honor our soldiers.
Bryce said, “Definitely my biggest accomplishment as a volunteer would be my Eagle Scout project where I did something that I found really meaningful and necessary in our community. Supporting young kids of color to feel pride in their culture is something I personally didn’t experience growing up. It was something I felt was missing from my childhood. By educating the future generation’s leaders to have an open-mind for people of different races, genders, sexualities, religions, and for people with disabilities and mental health issues, we are teaching the value of having pride in who you are.”
Bryce is excited to start his college career at the University of Pittsburgh where he will major in nursing.
Damian Earley attended Whetstone High School and was a very involved member in the Clintonville Community. He has maintained a GPA of above 4.0 for all 4 years of high school and was a member of the National Honor Society. Damian took AP classes at Whetstone along with College Credit Plus Courses at Ohio State University to jumpstart on earning credits.
Damian played cello in Whetstone’s Orchestra and was a 1st Team All-City athlete in Cross Country and Track. He has been a volunteer for many years at the Clintonville Resource Center where he has spent dozens of hours working in the food pantry and most recently constructed a helpful database for organizing information. Over the past several years Damian has also volunteered as a camp counselor for Columbus Chess Academy and delivered meals for Meals on Wheels.
Damian is also very involved in the Invention Convention program, a problem-solving competition for young aspiring inventors. He most recently competed in 9th grade, where he won 1st place nationally for his garbage-bin stabilizing device “The Garbage Lot.” Shortly after he received a $25,000 grant from General Motors and Cantor Colburn LLP to pursue a patent. Now Damian is a patent owner and an aspiring entrepreneur. He is an active advocate of the Invention Convention program and has participated in dozens of events to help publicize the program further.
Damian said, “Since I was little, my parents taught me the valuable virtues of service and leadership. They encouraged me to do good for others without expecting anything in return and to always be a leader rather than a follower. Through faith, academics, athletics, and other social experiences, I have learned that service and leadership are both defined as the action of putting others first and doing the right thing, even when it is difficult.”
Damian will attend either Ohio University or the University of Michigan to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering.
Scholarship Winners 2024
Northern Columbus Kiwanis supports and encourages higher education, which is why for over 30 years we have awarded college scholarships to graduating high school seniors.
Below are the two recipients of the 2024 Northern Kiwanis Club Scholarship: Bryce Presser and Damian Early. We wish them much success as they begin their college experience.
Congratulations to the 2024 Northern Kiwanis Scholarship recipients:
Bryce Presser’s curriculum at Thomas Worthington HS included Advanced Placement and Honors classes, along with courses at Central Ohio Technical College. His has a cumulative GPA of over 4.0. He was a member of the National Honors Society and Spanish National Honors Society. Bryce was a drum major in the TWHS marching band. He served as a committee chair for the student council and as class secretary. Bryce played alto saxophone in the TWHS wind ensemble, the TWHS pit orchestra, and the Columbus youth symphonic band (CYSB); tenor saxophone in the TWHS jazz program; and soprano saxophone in several saxophone quartets.
Bryce, a first-degree black belt in Taekwondo, co-Led the four TWHS drives last year bringing in a total of 25,000 items including books, canned food, coats, and other clothing.
As an Eagle Scout and member of Troop 365 Bryce has participated in cleanup of the Olentangy River, helped other troops working on obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout with their personal projects, and placed Veterans Day flags in cemeteries to honor our soldiers.
Bryce said, “Definitely my biggest accomplishment as a volunteer would be my Eagle Scout project where I did something that I found really meaningful and necessary in our community. Supporting young kids of color to feel pride in their culture is something I personally didn’t experience growing up. It was something I felt was missing from my childhood. By educating the future generation’s leaders to have an open-mind for people of different races, genders, sexualities, religions, and for people with disabilities and mental health issues, we are teaching the value of having pride in who you are.”
Bryce is excited to start his college career at the University of Pittsburgh where he will major in nursing.
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Damian Earley attended Whetstone High School and was a very involved member in the Clintonville Community. He has maintained a GPA of above 4.0 for all 4 years of high school and was a member of the National Honor Society. Damian took AP classes at Whetstone along with College Credit Plus Courses at Ohio State University to jumpstart on earning credits.
Damian played cello in Whetstone’s Orchestra and was a 1st Team All-City athlete in Cross Country and Track. He has been a volunteer for many years at the Clintonville Resource Center where he has spent dozens of hours working in the food pantry and most recently constructed a helpful database for organizing information. Over the past several years Damian has also volunteered as a camp counselor for Columbus Chess Academy and delivered meals for Meals on Wheels.
Damian is also very involved in the Invention Convention program, a problem-solving competition for young aspiring inventors. He most recently competed in 9th grade, where he won 1st place nationally for his garbage-bin stabilizing device “The Garbage Lot.” Shortly after he received a $25,000 grant from General Motors and Cantor Colburn LLP to pursue a patent. Now Damian is a patent owner and an aspiring entrepreneur. He is an active advocate of the Invention Convention program and has participated in dozens of events to help publicize the program further.
Damian said, “Since I was little, my parents taught me the valuable virtues of service and leadership. They encouraged me to do good for others without expecting anything in return and to always be a leader rather than a follower. Through faith, academics, athletics, and other social experiences, I have learned that service and leadership are both defined as the action of putting others first and doing the right thing, even when it is difficult.”
Damian will attend either Ohio University or the University of Michigan to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering.
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