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Scholar Stories: Rebecca Parks

There's more to education than just what happens in the classroom, which is why Target's All-Around Scholarship program, administered by Scholarship America's Scholarship Management Services® group, looks hard at what students are doing in the wider world—and why Reistertown, Maryland student Rebecca Parks was an ideal recipient of the scholarship.

"Academics are important, and excellence in that arena should be recognized and rewarded," Rebecca said. "But these private scholarships are the only way to reward and recognize America's youth for leadership, volunteerism, artistic talent, or other admirable traits."

Rebecca has done plenty of work in most of those areas; her highest-profile volunteer work has come in the form of Becky's Aid Project, a mission program she started to donate birthday gifts to local children whose families are unable to afford them. In the last year, Becky's Aid Program provided more than 200 Baltimore-area kids with gifts, and Rebecca spent more than 300 hours, as she does each year, working on the project. Spurred on by the success of the program, she branched out, in collaboration with her church, to do a "Boxes for Marines" drive, which provided a local Marine unit deployed in Iraq with food, toiletries and other necessities. When hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, she collected 120 backpacks filled with clothing and school supplies for hurricane victims in Mississippi.

Rebecca has begun her freshman year at Maryland's McDaniel College, with the help of her All-Around Scholarship and several others. She is playing soccer and tennis in addition to her studies in exercise physiology and athletic training. She credits her scholarships with allowing her the freedom to find her perfect-fit college, and one where she can continue making a difference in her community.

"Seeing the difference that one can make in the life of someone else helps to mobilize one to action," Rebecca said. "The gratification that I feel from helping others in need, and the knowledge that I truly can make a difference and positively impact others, has resulted in my lifelong commitment to volunteerism. I plan to continue my projects in college and to inspire others to volunteer as well."

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