Each year, the Key Biscayne Women’s Club awards college scholarships to deserving students. It’s a tradition that has been carried on since 1952.

Scholarship Committee Chair Patricia Bowles explains that every high school senior with a parent who lives or works on the Key is eligible to apply. The six-person committee (which also includes Dottie Devaney Goldman, Alina Gomez, Jennifer Laughlin, Joan Levine, and Ivette Yrizarry) looks for academic excellence as well as involvement in extracurricular activities and humanitarian spirit. This year, six highly qualified students – all girls – submitted applications, and the committee was thrilled to award all of them scholarships.

The committee members met the girls in person at a recent luncheon in the parish hall at St. Christopher’s-by-the-Sea. “Each girl is inspirational,” observes Bowles. “Anything the Women’s Club can do to help fund their college education is worthwhile.”

We are pleased to tell you a little about this year’s scholarship recipients.

Tara Conway is graduating from MAST Academy, where she founded a computer science club that teamed up with the Young Coder’s Initiative to help teach children how to code. She also organized an all-girls math competition hosted at the Key Biscayne K-8 Center. She is deeply committed to developing technological solutions guided by ethical responsibility and compassion that will improve lives. She plans to study engineering at Columbia University.

Mia Gonzalez will graduate from the Academy for Innovative Education Charter School, where she is President of the Student Government and a member of both the National and Science Honor Societies. Mia is an accomplished athlete and musician, having received the Maestro Award at a music competition in Nashville and the “Rookie of the Year” in sports. She will play softball and study Exercise Science at Santa Fe College in Gainesville next year.

Lauren Hernandez is a homeschooled student who worked through rigorous honors courses. Each summer, she attended the Debate and Economics Leadership Camps at Patrick Henry College in Virginia, where she was actively engaged in debate, leadership programs, and writing. Her short story “Mysteries of Winchester, Pennsylvania” has been published in the collection “Adventures in Time: Superior Short Stories by Student Authors.” She plans to attend Florida International University, where she will study Law and Criminal Justice.

Sofia Hernandez is graduating from the International Studies Preparatory Academy. She served as Secretary of the Student Council and Vice President of the Senior Class. Her numerous academic achievements include membership in the Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society. Sofia has also been working part-time at Aqua Miel Coffee Shop to save for college. She will attend The Catholic University of America to study Political Science with a focus on Public Relations.

Teresa Martin de Santa Olalla is graduating from MAST Academy, where she received many academic awards. Most of her extracurricular activities have focused on helping others, including tutoring her peers in chemistry and being active in Flying High 4 Haiti, The Hands-on Foundation, and the MAST Happy Hive Project. Teresa will attend the University of Florida, where her ambition is to study Neuroscience on a pre-med track.

Giulia Troia is graduating from Immaculata-La Salle High School. She’s already a published author, having written the children’s book “Cloud City,” and is an accomplished pianist. Academically, she is a member of the National Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and Rho Kappa. Her volunteer activities include serving as a classroom assistant at St. Agnes, participating in beach cleanups on the Key, and assisting special needs children at the Biscayne Nature Center. In the fall she will attend Canada’s McGill University.

Thank you to the hard-working members of the Women’s Club, and congratulations students!