2023 Robins Civic Club Scholarship Recipients
The Robins Civic Club Scholarship Selection Committee has named Oliver Burns, Grayson Carolan, Max Goodin, and Jacob Horton as the 2023 Scholarship recipients. Two of these students are receiving a $1,000 scholarship and two are receiving $750.00 for their respective chosen colleges. The scholarship committee looks heavily at the Academic excellence and community service endeavors of the applicants. Here is a short synopsis of the four selectees’ backgrounds and future plans.
Oliver burns
alburnett high School Oliver Burns, an Alburnett high school senior, has completed 13 Kirkwood Community College classes that add up to 43 Kirkwood credits. Oliver saw the opportunity to earn the college credits to help get a jump start on the college courses he will be required to complete on his way to earning a degree in Exercise Science. Oliver’s ultimate goal is becoming a physical therapist. Oliver participated in several academic and sports groups while attending Alburnett High School. Oliver was involved in school Archery, Baseball, cross country, Golf and track teams. Oliver maintained very full days, as any of these sports along with the high school and college course load would require a strict time management regime. Oliver earned a cumulative GPA of 3.91. Oliver balanced his class/sports load with school clubs, actual paid employment, and community service. He was an active member in the National Honor Society (NHS) and the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). Oliver maintained summer jobs with Landscape by Design and Dupont Pioneer performing outside manual work with both businesses. He currently has a job with Chick-Fil-A. Oliver has supported the community with diverse service opportunities from packing meals for the food insecure with the organization “Meals from the Heartland”. He drove prepared meals to people who were shut in or required food delivery support from “Meals on Wheels”. Oliver volunteered for Hawkeye concessions as a food service assistant. Olivers supported the Toddville American Legion by volunteering at their fish fry dinners. Oliver will attend Iowa State University majoring in Exercise Science. Oliver is the son of Andy and Jodi Burns.
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Grayson Carolan
alburnett High School Grayson Carolan, a senior at Alburnett High School, was selected as the first student from Alburnett High School to participate in a lineman mechanic internship program offered by Alliant Energy. He met with an Alliant trainer to learn of the careers within the company and then he worked as a lineman for six weeks. This Internship sparked Grayson’s desire to earn an engineering degree and mentor other young engineers. Grayson dual enrolled in high school and college courses and also took several Kirkwood Community college courses. He gained some leadership skills as the Parliamentarian in the Alburnett H.S. National Honor Society of which he was a member for over two years. Grayson maintained a 4.0 average while he participated all four years in football, basketball, and track. He played baseball for one year and has been active in his church youth group for three of his high school years. Grayson sang in the school choir for two years. Grayson volunteered in both his Robins and Alburnett communities. He worked with the Civic Club at the Robins Round up for multiple years and mentored youth in fall and spring sports seasons each year. Grayson participated in Derecho clean-up efforts for his family and others and worked during the Alburnett Clean-up days where students assisted the elderly with yard work and other home clean up. Grayson plans to attend Kirkwood Community College in the fall and will work on his general education classes and study Engineering. Grayson is the son of Ben and Jill Carolan.
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Robert “Max”. Goodin
kennedy High School Olivia, also a Linn Mar High school senior, was selected to represent the Marion American Legion Auxiliary 298 as their Girl’s State representative in 2020 for her interest in Government and her leadership and community activities. In school, Olivia played in Concert and Marching bands, and sang in the choir. Olivia was involved in the Linn Mar Democratic Club and worked to get out the vote prior to the 2020 election. She was a member of the National Honor Society. Olivia was recognized for several of her writings. She earned first place in Poetry at the Eastern Iowa Reading Council Poetry contest and a third place at the State level of Iowa Reading Association. She sought and mastered AP courses. Olivia earned Academic letters with Distinction and Honor earning a cumulative 3.97 GPA. Olivia’s impact on the community and her outreach service was second to none. Her major contributions were with the Iowa Project Aware, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources week long river clean up expeditions. Olivia worked with the DNR 3 of the past 10 years. Clearing hazards and cleaning by removing trash and debris in the Iowa Rivers and waterways. Olivia also assisted in local festivals as a volunteer at the information booth for the Cedar Rapids Pride Fest, as a safety monitor in the kid zone at the Robins Round up, on several the Lovely Lane Methodist mission trips post Hurricane Harvey in Texas and in Creston Iowa to assist in clean up, food banks and rebuilding. She, as a Girl Scout, mentored younger girls as a program Aide at the Local Sunshine Valley day camp. In her church she was a kids klub mentor and taught preschool. Musically, she performed with the Zamar handbell and vocal choir. She stayed active in youth group and Vacation Bible Schools staffs. While keeping up with her schoolwork and all her community service endeavors, Olivia also is employed by Amy’s Hallmark as a retail associate Olivia will be attending the University of Northern Iowa and studying political science. Olivia is the daughter of Ike Schneider and Carla Jessen. Robert “Max”. Goodin, a senior at Kennedy High School, has excelled Academically earning a 4.08 cumulative GPA. Max challenged himself with many AP and College courses. Max was an active member of the National Honor Society and was repeatedly on the Honor Roll throughout his high school years. Max is the first chair cello player in the Kennedy High School Symphonic Orchestra. He represented Kennedy in the competitive school speech and debate programs on the improv team this year. Max participated several years in the Boy Scouting program and attained his Eagle Scout rank which less than 3% of scouts earn. His Eagle Project was refreshing the South Troy Park baseball dugouts and wooden benches by repairing, scraping and repainting them and earning funds, prepping and building the base for setting up a public bicycle maintenance station in the Robins community. The project itself speaks to the encouragement of active lifestyles and inclusivity, also of keeping all cyclists on the road. Max performed many types of service projects including but not limited to food drives, road clean up, Robins Roundup Kid zone safety monitor, filling eggs and being the Easter Bunny for the Robins Easter Egg Hunt. Max worked for Cook Fence Company as an installer of fencing last summer which installed fences for both commercial and private homeowners. Max has helped our community in many capacities. Max currently is learning the martial art Tang Soo Do at Revolution Martial Arts here in Robins. Max will be attending the University of Iowa to study Economics and Writing. Max is the son of Robert and Lisa Goodin.
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Jacob Horton
kennedy High School Olivia, also a Linn Mar High school senior, was selected to represent the Marion American Legion Auxiliary 298 as their Girl’s State representative in 2020 for her interest in Government and her leadership and community activities. In school, Olivia played in Concert and Marching bands, and sang in the choir. Olivia was involved in the Linn Mar Democratic Club and worked to get out the vote prior to the 2020 election. She was a member of the National Honor Society. Olivia was recognized for several of her writings. She earned first place in Poetry at the Eastern Iowa Reading Council Poetry contest and a third place at the State level of Iowa Reading Association. She sought and mastered AP courses. Olivia earned Academic letters with Distinction and Honor earning a cumulative 3.97 GPA. Olivia’s impact on the community and her outreach service was second to none. Her major contributions were with the Iowa Project Aware, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources week long river clean up expeditions. Olivia worked with the DNR 3 of the past 10 years. Clearing hazards and cleaning by removing trash and debris in the Iowa Rivers and waterways. Olivia also assisted in local festivals as a volunteer at the information booth for the Cedar Rapids Pride Fest, as a safety monitor in the kid zone at the Robins Round up, on several the Lovely Lane Methodist mission trips post Hurricane Harvey in Texas and in Creston Iowa to assist in clean up, food banks and rebuilding. She, as a Girl Scout, mentored younger girls as a program Aide at the Local Sunshine Valley day camp. In her church she was a kids klub mentor and taught preschool. Musically, she performed with the Zamar handbell and vocal choir. She stayed active in youth group and Vacation Bible Schools staffs. While keeping up with her schoolwork and all her community service endeavors, Olivia also is employed by Amy’s Hallmark as a retail associate Olivia will be attending the University of Northern Iowa and studying political science. Olivia is the daughter of Ike Schneider and Carla Jessen. Jacob Horton, a senior at Kennedy High School, has excelled Academically with a very impressive Cumulative 4.42 GPA. He has been recognized on the Honor roll each semester. His extra curriculars are varied and great. Jacob belongs to the National Honor Society and the Science National Honor Society in which he is an officer. He participates in the mock trial teams and enjoys being a part of the Best Buddies program. Jacob is a member of all the varsity Kennedy vocal groups - Show choir, concert choir, chamber choir and jazz choir. He takes private voice and guitar lessons to improve. Jacob ran cross-country and track. He has been recognized for his fine arts and athletics pursuits with awards such as the choral directors award for most improved cross-country runner. He was selected for the Todd Nixon Memorial Award in 2022. He was the student manager for the showchoir program which meant he learned much about managing people, time and things. Jacob participated in four theater productions both in school and in the community with the Playtime Poppy theater organization. Jacob served his community by packing lunches at the Palo Methodist Church through the COVID-19 summer of 2020. He has assisted in the Marion Methodist church annual clean ups. Jacob has participated in the Impact Life Blood donations as much as he is able. Since 2018, Jacob has his own lawn care and snow removal business. He has worked several summers as a lifeguard for the City of Cedar Rapids. Jacob will be attending the University of Northern Iowa to double major in music and business. Jacob is the son of Bradley and Jennifer Horton.
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The Robins Civic Club would like to thank the Scholarship Selection Committee and congratulate these students as excellent examples of outstanding student citizens.