Myself Third: Spirit of New York Scholorships

Myself Third: Spirit of New York Scholarships

On January 17, 2002, Robert Friedman, a partner in Sage Capital Management, announced the creation of $2,500 scholarships for College Now students bound for the City University of New York. They will be known as the “Myself Third: Spirit of New York Scholarships,” a reference to a lesson he learned in the sixth grade: to put oneself third after responsibilities to God and to country. The scholarships, a tribute to the September 11 rescue workers, will be available to students who participate in College Now, a CUNY program that helps prepare high school students for college. Applicants will be required to submit an essay describing a personal experience that demonstrates appreciation of civic responsibility. For further information, students should contact the college advisor of their high school or Ms. Fischer at the College Now office in Kingsborough Community College.

	Kingsborough's Fall 2006 - Spring 2007 "Myself Third" $2,500 scholarship recipients:
	(from left to right) Olivia Iskarous, Evan Leung, Stephen Obisanya, Marissa Shain

Olivia Iskarous - John Dewey HS - Brooklyn, NY Excerpts Olivia's Essay - I believe that living in a country like the United States is a privilege that should not be taken for granted. Many countries are not close to having what this country had to offer its citizens. Therefore we should cherish this countries freedom and democracy. Many people come to the United States seeking the freedom they never found in their home country. They find that they are sheltered and welcomed regardless of their race, color or ethnic background. Therefore it is our duty to dedicate our free time and our services for the citizens of our community for nothing in return. Many people that live in other countries wish they lived in a country where they can practice their religion freely and speak their opinion without penalties. My family moved to the United States in 2001 from Egypt so we can practice our religion freely. The United States gave us the opportunity to be able to go to church without risking our lives. This major event of my life motivated me to become a contributing member to my community and to the United States of America. After the tragedy of September 11, I felt the urge to help others around me and I wanted to accomplish something good in my life. I decided to volunteer in Lutheran Medican Center over the summer of 2006. I enjoyed helping people as well as gaining the experience to become a healthcare worker. In Lutheran hospital I assisted many of the nurses in one of the hospital's patient units. I ran errands and transported patients.
Evan Leung - Fort Hamilton HS - Brooklyn, NY Excerpts from Evan's Essay - In America, the possibilities are endless when we embrace the opportunity to broaden our scope and expand our intellect. If the idea of democracy revolves around the consent of the people, then we have to establish an environment in which we mutually respect each other, regardless of differences in race, religion, gender, ethnicity, or age. One day, it dawned on me that I always looked away from passing by a local senior citizens residence, despite the fact that living beyond its facade were individuals imbued with the American spirit. To live in a democratice society is to have a voice, and what better way to hear that voice than to channel it into actions. So, in spite of my worry of what years can do to divide people, I decided to take a look inside. Lips sealed and locked behind the dense hardwood doors, many of the residence spent their days alone. Unfortunately, because the families of these senior citizens rarely visited them or had passed away, I found that they were lonely and in need of company. The residents really appreciated it when I spent time to jazz up their Sing-Along hour or enliven their bingo nights with wit. Their chuckles told me that it was the highlight of their day and that I made a difference in their lives, not necessarily by performing a service, but by simply polishing up their grins and smiles.
Stephen Obisanya - Curtis HS - Staten Island, NY Excerpts from Stephen's Essay - Being a Nigerian by my place of birth, I have lived under different forms of government: military regime, interim National government and democratic government. I was born under a military regime which is better described as a dictatorial or autocratic form of government. Words are actually inadequate to describe the experiences of people living under any military regime. It is indescribable. Words like "freedom" and "rights" have no place in peoples' life. People and the press had no freedom. Careless talks or criticisms of the government actually led many people to be arrested, detained and possibly jailed. Many had no chance to appear in court. Others were even killed by government agents and no questions asked. It was that bad when I was growing up. You can imagine what this meant to families, school system, and so on and so forth. With this background, one can understand the beauty there is and what it means to live in a free and democratic society. There is nothing in the world that compares to FREEDOM. Democracy in its simplest form has been defined as the government of the people, for the people and by the people. America as a democratic society has continued to demonstrate what this means. I was brought to the U.S. about seven years ago by my parents who came five years earlier. I have since realized why America is called "God's own country," that is, by my fellow Nigerians back home. It is the land of unlimited opportunity for those who are willing to take challenges with a view to achieving greater heights educationally, vocationally, etc.
Marissa Schain - James Madison HS - Brooklyn, NY Excerpts from Marissa's Essay - The first day I began playing the piano for residents of the Assisted Living Home in my community, many of them gathered around the piano in wheelchairs, sleeping the whole time. I thought they would be glad to see me, since I was hoping to bring them joy through music. Finishing my last piece, I did not expect applauding, but to my chagrin, I did not think I would hear much snoring either. I began to question volunteering there if no one was listening. As I started to exit the nursing home, one resident came towards me to tell me how she enjoyed the songs I played and she was looking forward to my returning next week. I later learned that many of the snoring residents had Alzheimer's disease and the sound of the piano calmed them from an agitated state. I realized bringing a small sense of freedom from their dreariness made volunteering worthwhile. Imagine not being able to leave your house. Knowing you cannot escape to another place you want to be is a feeling many people with disabilities experience everyday. When I was younger, I was in the hospital for months at a time, not being able to leave, no matter how much I wanted to be anywhere but there. I knew there was so much more to do and greater places to be. I remember the only way color came through the dark gray walls of the hospital was through visitors from the outside. When people came to see me for a short few minutes I suddenly felt less confined, and I escaped from the monotomy. Freedom I once had always came to mind through visitors. Volunteering in a local nursing home evoked those memories of confinement. Elderly people that are no longer independent often live with or without choice in such places.


Myself Third Scholarship scholarship donor Robert Friedman addresses the audience at the awards ceremony held at The CUNY Graduate Center..

Presentation of Myself Third Scholarship Certificates

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Myself Third Scholarship - Past Recipients
College Now - Kingsborough Community College

Fall 2005 - Spring 2006
Olena Pavlyik	James Madison HS

Fall 2004 - Spring 2005
Jose Andrade	Fort Hamilton HS
Giuseppe Cruciata	John Dewey HS
Kerrianne Orloff	Leon M. Goldstein HS

Fall 2003 - Spring 2004
Day Lo	Edward R. Murrow HS
David Whitman	Susan E. Wagner HS

Fall 2002 - Spring 2003
Christopher Holmes	Abraham Lincoln HS
Kira Ibarre	Edward R. Murrow HS
Blerta Isak	Fort Hamilton HS

Fall 2001 - Spring 2002
Mary Grace Attansia	New Dorp HS
Tami Giordano	Tottenville HS
Aasiya Islam	Canarsie HS
Jillian Jacobs	Tottenville HS
Nasheba Kitchener	South Shore HS
Sofiya Masterovaya	Fort Hamilton HS
Yelena Olevskaia	Fort Hamilton HS
Laura Troiano	New Dorp HS
Kareen Walters	William E. Grady HS

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