The 2011-2012 Phillips Scholar Alumni Award

 The Trustees are very pleased to award a $10,000 scholarship for the 2011-2012 academic year to Caroline Dymek of West Newbury, MA, who will study early childhood education at Emmanuel College. This award was established in 2003 to highlight one recipient each year who exemplifies the qualities of a Phillips Scholar: academic excellence, service to others, a strong work ethic and good citizenship.  

According to her guidance counselor at Pentucket Regional High, “Helping others is central to Caroline’s existence.”  A recipient of multiple citizenship and community service awards, Caroline served as President of the Student Council and of SADD at her school.  She was also an active member of the National Honors Society, served as a peer mentor and founded a faith-based community service group with a focus on outreach and spirituality.  In all these areas, her emphasis was on service to others, both through school clubs as well as activities and organizations in her community.

But her strongest passion, and the one which will help to inform her academic direction and future career, is for working with inner-city youth at the Haverhill YMCA. After being sidelined from her more athletic pursuits by an injury, Caroline focused her energies on working as a youth counselor and art director during the school year and as a camp counselor at Camp Tricklin’ Falls during the summer. With ample reserves of compassion and understanding, she is renewed by knowing that she is truly making a positive impact on the lives of these children and their families.

Caroline will be majoring in Elementary Education at Emmanuel College in Boston. Her long hours working with children at summer camp have provided her with useful experience and teaching skills as well as confidence in her abilities with children; the wonderful sense of purpose gained at the Y and the growing awareness of how she is making a difference there continues to fuel her passion for helping children achieve their potential.  

Many thanks go to all of the alumni of The Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund who donated so generously to the Alumni Scholarship. A friend of the scholarship matches all donations dollar for dollar, which makes each contribution a significant gift. All monies raised were used toward Caroline's award.