Two Iowa High School Students Win Money for College
Two Iowa High School Students Win Money for College
Each Is Awarded $500 to Pursue Education
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA (Nov. 3, 2010) — Two Iowa high school students won $500
each for their college education through a drawing conducted by the Iowa College Access
Network®
(ICAN) at this year’s Iowa State Fair.
Kassie Kearbey, a senior at Dowling High School in Des Moines, and Paden Finnegan, a
senior at Iowa Mennonite School near Kalona, had their names drawn from nearly 1,200
entries to win the scholarships. ICAN will distribute the money directly to their respective
colleges to pay for tuition and fees when Kearbey and Finnegan enter college.
“I’m really surprised, my mom entered me as kind of a spur of the moment thing,” said
Kearbey, who plans to go into either biology or psychology at either Iowa State University or
the University of Northern Iowa. “I’m considering marine biology or therapy. I like the ocean
and science; understanding how the brain works. Winning the scholarship is really cool.”
Finnegan is considering Kirkwood Community College for either Liberal Arts or an
Agriculture program.
Students who plan to continue their education after high school shouldn’t hesitate to apply
for scholarships. “More students than ever are looking for funding for college. It’s a sign of
the times. But opportunities are out there,” said Juan Garcia, executive director of ICAN.
“You never know when something as simple as a state fair contest will help you.
Understanding the expense of a college education and being proactive about finding funds is the first step for these students. For ICAN, it’s rewarding to be part of the process and
award these students money to help them pursue their dreams.”
ICAN’s next scholarship opportunity began this week with the launch of ICAN’s Student
Video Scholarship Contest. Students looking for college scholarships can learn more by
visiting www.ICANsucceed.org/videocontest or start with the free scholarship search on
ICAN’s Web site, www.ICANsucceed.org/scholarships. The site also offers plenty of advice
on how to plan for, apply to, pay for and succeed in education.
