I have the pleasure to work with one award recipient Jennifer Zhang who is our student board member. She has done a lot to promote healthy and happy life, volunteering and fun for young kids. She is a truly amazing young lady with bright future. Thanks a lot for her contribution. 
Columbia Association (CA) is proud to announce and recognize the recipients of the Maggie J. Brown Spirit of Columbia Scholarship Award, a $2,500 scholarship awarded to six graduating high school seniors who have shown extraordinary dedication to performing community service. They are:

Jacob Lampf, from Atholton High School, is an intern with the Howard County Executive Office who conducted interviews and outreach for the Humans of #OneHoward initiative. The initiative promotes community dialogue and reinforces the county’s shared goals of diversity and inclusiveness through a series of community conversations and educational events. Lampf has also served for two years as a student voice on the Howard County Health Council. He participated in the Leadership U Howard County program, working with a group of his peers to assemble and distribute Welcome Home Baskets to veterans who had recently moved to Columbia. Lampf will attend Indiana University in the fall.

Kaitlin Landfried, from Hammond High School, is a graduate of the Leadership U Howard County program whose team project involved creating a “safe space” social and networking event for LGBT teens. Landfried’s passion for making Columbia a better place for LGBT individuals has continued on through volunteering at events that serve the LGBT community. She also volunteered for the Image-In Clothing Giveaway, which was sponsored by TransAAction Maryland and supported by PFLAG Columbia-Howard County. Landfried will attend University of Maryland, Baltimore County in the fall.

Cire Nicholson, from Oakland Mills High School, volunteered with Allied Soccer, a varsity sport for teens with disabilities. Nicholson noticed that some of her peers were mean to those students, and so she became their advocate. As a peer assistant, she worked closely with the students on the field during practices and attended all of their games. Nicholson also is a peer assistant at the National Family Resiliency Center in Columbia, sharing her experience as the child of a divorced family in order to help others. She served in a leadership role, guiding group discussions and making sure everyone in the group stayed engaged and participated. Nicholson will attend North Carolina A&T State University in the fall.

Olatokunbo Olaniyan, from Glenelg Country School, created a nonprofit organization, Hope for Sickle Cell, to increase awareness of sickle cell disease. Olaniyan was just 4 years old when she lost her mother to sickle cell disease. Olaniyan also created a website, hopeforsicklecell.org, to spread awareness, and made a presentation to Congress advocating for research funding. In addition, she participated alongside her peers in Rebuilding Together Howard County, taking a lead role in organizing the rebuilding of an elderly couple’s home in Columbia. Olaniyan will attend Washington University in the fall.

Aaron Park, from Long Reach High School, applied his passion for plants and horticulture by helping his community garden association. Park has been involved with sustainable gardening for the past 11 years. He shared his ideas about natural pesticides, irrigation techniques, conservationism and genetic preservation with his fellow gardeners. Park also recently completed a successful heirloom tomato fundraiser that gave many gardeners rare, organic and healthy plants to grow. He has a passion for music and has performed regularly for years at his church. Park will attend University of North Carolina in the fall.

Jennifer Zhang, from River Hill High School, has served since her freshman year on the River Hill Teen Advisory Committee, including two years as the committee’s chair and the student member of the River Hill Village Board. Among Zhang’s responsibilities was promoting the volunteer and community spirit of River Hill, encouraging teen involvement. She also has been a member of Angel’s Network, the oldest community service club at River Hill High School. In 2016, she was the youth recipient of the Governor’s Service Award, recognized for outstanding community service and contributions to the state of Maryland. Zhang will attend University of Pennsylvania in the fall.
About Columbia Association

Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit community services corporation that manages Columbia, Maryland, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses — and was named the No. 1 small city to live in by Money Magazine in 2016. Additional information about CA is available at ColumbiaAssociation.org.