Talkington students awarded scholarships

Before the cupcakes were given out to students at the Talkington School for Young Women Leaders in celebration of the 100th birthday of Margaret Talkington, nine students were awarded scholarships for their work in the Margaret Talkington Grant Writing and Scholarship Competition.

The winning team included TyZhanie Kinney, Brook Nugent and Wynomi Thomas. The three students applied for a grant for the Children's Advocacy Center, which will be used to put a new roof on the center. Winning first place will net the center $50,000, but each girl will receive a $2,500 scholarship.

The funding is provided by the J.T. and Margaret Talkington Charitable Foundation.

Each of the three students described themselves as "so grateful" to have earned the money for a new roof at the Children's Advocacy Center.

"It's going to impact so many more kids, so they can still run and still do what they do and help kids through therapy and speed their healing of like, depression and anxiety and things like that," Nugent said.

Thomas said it was important that the center get a new roof. Besides creating problems with mold in the center, the leaky roof allowed water damage to necessary video equipment at the center.

The trio described themselves as best friends, so they said it was easier to complete the task of filling out a grant application. Putting together a presentation to be given to their classmates, school officials and members of the Talkington Advisory Board took "countless hours," Thomas said. The students wrote a poem and delivered it as part of the presentation.

Thomas said she expected the group would be in the top three, but she was suprised they won overall.

"We put a lot of hard work into this, and for it all to pay off was just, it was amazing," Kinney said.

Second place went to Olivia Oldham, Emily Wade and Ruthie Wilson, who wrote a grant application for the Bayer Agriculture Heritage Museum. The $25,000 grant will be used for a display listing the contributions of women to the field of agriculture. Each student will receive $1,500 in scholarship money.

Third place in the grant writing contest went to Lexi Casias, Massiel Gonzalez and Alyssa Pizana for their representation of Sondra's Song. The $10,000 grant will go toward new electricity, doors and windows for a transitional home for teens who have aged out of the foster care system. Each of the students will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Berta Fogerson, principal of the Talkington School for Young Women Leaders, said the grant writing contest has been a "most authentic learning experience" for students.

"These girls have been challenged to operate outside their comfort zones by having to reach out to local charities and collaborate with adult representatives from these organizations," Fogerson said. "These young women were asked to follow the same requirements that any adult would follow, and the quality of the work that was produced surpassed my highest expectations."

Another thing Fogerson didn't expect was the impact on the school and on the girls.

Representatives from the charities chosen by 102 girls in the contest made frequent visits to the school, especially during advisory period. The students also made after school trips to the various charities to volunteer and learn more about the needs of the organizations.

"As a result, many of these girls have discovered that they have a genuine passion for the cause they selected, and this experience has opened the door for several long-term, service-related relationships to develop. It's been a beautiful thing to watch this whole process unfold," Fogerson said.

Kacey Stevens, an attorney for the Talkington Charitable Foundation and a member of the school's traditions committee, said the grant writing contest was a journey for everyone involved.

Each year, she said Talkington students recognize Margaret Talkington's birthday.

"When we were aware that the 100th birthday was coming up this year, the traditions committee wanted it to be something that would be special, that would be unique and that it would express Margaret's legacy beyond this one day," Stevens said. "That it would be something that would be lasting with the students, that they could carry with them beyond high school into their careers."

One of Margaret Talkington's greatest passions was making a difference in Lubbock through service and charitable giving, Stevens said.

"We wanted to give the students a peek into that world, into the world of nonprofits," she said.

Before reading a proclamation naming Thursday as Margaret Talkington Day in Lubbock, Lubbock City Councilwoman Karen Gibson said she heard about her all of her life while growing up in Lubbock.

"I had the pleasure of meeting her one time. She was larger than life to me. So it is just a joy to be able to read this, and I thank you all for allowing me to read this special recognition from the city of Lubbock," Gibson said.

Source: Talkington students awarded scholarships