New Melle Fire Rescue Firefighters Announce 2013 Scholarship Winners

The New Melle Fire Rescue firefighters have a private account, the Firefighters Fund, which is funded from time to time with donations from the public or from small fundraisers of their own.  This account is in no way funded from any tax dollars.

The New Melle Fire Rescue volunteer and paid firefighters decided for a ninth year in a row that they wished to offer a scholarship opportunity from their Firefighters Fund, which could be applied for by any resident within the geographic district covered by NMFPD.  The opportunity was open to anyone, regardless of age, who was applying for any higher education program.  While this scholarship could be applied to a full-time college education program, it could just as well be applied to a technical school curriculum or an EMT course, etc.

In addition, the full-time paid firefighters of New Melle FPD decided to chip in and offer an additional donation from their own separate fund, again a private account that is in no way funded from tax dollars.  They were motivated to do this based on the significant public response to the program in previous years, and their additional donation enabled the department to match last year’s scholarship total of $1,000.  This year, the $1,000 will again be offered as two (2) $500 scholarships, benefiting two (2) recipients.

A firefighter-based committee recently reviewed the eligible applications received.  The review process this year was a significant challenge, as always.  The applicants had outstanding records of academic achievement, along with profiles of numerous extracurricular and volunteer activities.  Many accomplished all that while working part time as well.  But after deliberation, the committee determined that the recipients of the two $500 scholarships offered this year are Devynn Hummel of Old Log Cabin Trail in Marthasville, and Marissa Douglas of Wilderness Drive in Defiance.

Devynn Hummel is a sophomore currently enrolled at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, majoring in Biology (micro, cell, molecular).  He graduated from Francis Howell High School.  He is maintaining a 3.6 of 4.0 GPA and is a frequent Dean’s List honoree at SEMO, while actively participating in the university’s Chemistry Club, professional Chemistry fraternity, and Honors Society.  Devynn has also served as volunteer to his high school, local organizations and his church, while working when possible for a nearby municipality.  Upon graduation at SEMO, Devynn hopes to continue with postgraduate work and ultimately conduct his own research.

Marissa Douglas, also a Howell graduate, is a junior enrolled at Missouri State University at Springfield in communication sciences and disorders with an emphasis in speech language pathology, a six-year program.  An accomplished student academically, Marissa looks forward upon graduation to working with adults and children to cope, rehabilitate, and improve life quality when dealing with social, behavioral, or intellectual communication problems.  She serves as a chairperson in her sorority, is a member of the university’s honor society, and has been an active volunteer for numerous organizations, including the Hearing Clinic at the university where she is a communication partner with clients.

We have some talented, hard-working young people in our small community, and Devynn Hummel and Marissa Douglas are surely two of them.  The New Melle Fire Rescue firefighters congratulate Devynn and Marissa on their commendable successes to date, and wish them all the best in future collegiate work.  They also wish to thank all of the other scholarship applicants for their submissions, and wish them the best in their future endeavors as well.