Eds. Note – The Mental Health Association of Portland helped judge this year’s Al Forthan Memorial Scholarship scholars and it was about the hardest job to do all year. Each essay was well made and thoughtful, revealing each scholar to be well deserving of congratulations and support from our community. Congrats to all and to VOA of Oregon.

Volunteers of America Oregon website and via email

The Al Forthan Memorial Scholarship is open to high school seniors in Oregon. In 2013, $50,000 was awarded to 32 students around Oregon.

The purpose of the scholarship is to honor Al Forthan, and encourage students to explore how addiction has impacted our community and think about solutions to this complex problem.  Al was the first alumnus to work at the VOA Oregon Men’s Residential Center.  He touched hundreds of lives and brought love, wisdom, integrity, humility, and a deep passion and commitment to recovery.

We had 77 applicants this year and the winners are as follows:

Grand Prize Winners ~ Students from Homes Impacted by Addiction—$24,000

♦ Angela Laliberte—Thurston High School—$4,000

♦ Guadalupe Gonzalez—Benson High School—$4,000

♦ Natalie Vega-Juarez—Grant High School—$4,000

♦ Sarah Mathieson—Canby High School—$4,000

♦ Shatanya Cherise Amor Banks—Franklin High School—-$4,000

♦ Tyler Mesberg—Roseburg High School—$4,000

Students from Homes Impacted by Addiction—$6,000

♦ Desiree Staneart—South Albany High School—$3,000

♦ Elizabeth Anne King—Reynolds High School—$3,000

Portland Public High School Awards—$7,000

♦ Angeleesha Frierson—Jefferson High School—$2,000

♦ Michael Remington—Roosevelt High School—$2,000

♦ Rolando Valdovinos—Madison High School—$2,000

♦ Miranda Martin —Cleveland High School—$1,000

$13,000 was also given to 20 students from Homes Impacted by Addiction

A total of $50,000 was awarded to 32 students throughout Oregon!