Three Gaithersburg HS Students Awarded Character Counts Scholarships

Three exceptionally inspiring high school seniors were awarded a total of $2,600 in scholarship funds for the 2023-2024 academic year through the W. Edward Bohrer, Jr. Memorial CHARACTER COUNTS! Scholarship program.

Per the City of Gaithersburg: Presented in partnership with the W. Edward Bohrer Memorial Fund and the City Student Union, the scholarships are named for former Mayor Bohrer, under whose leadership the City adopted the CHARACTER COUNTS! program in 1996. The scholarship program acknowledges students for embodying the Six Pillars of Character – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.

Since the scholarship program launched in 1998, 115 high school seniors have received more than $184,600 in CHARACTER COUNTS! funding to help with their college tuition. This year’s recipients are RachelRobin David, Machiko Koga, and Elise Liberty, all from Gaithersburg High School

In their applications, students were asked to share stories of people who are the most important role model in their life that has helped them develop the six pillars of CHARACTER COUNTS!

The following excerpts were taken from this year’s applications:

“The most important role model in my life that has helped me develop the six pillars of character counts are my parents. They have both been part of my life, helping me to develop as a person and to make sure I have a better life where I can stand for myself and be an independent woman in the future.” – RachelRobin David

“Both of my parents have been my role models for my whole life. They’ve been able to teach me many important life lessons which tie back to character counts, which has led me to be the person I am today. My parents were lucky to have parents who have given them the wisdom and advice they needed which were then passed down to me. My parents would always tell me that if you were to be a good human you would have to always stay true to the right morals which were to be fair to others, care for others, show dignity and respect to others, be trustworthy to others, show that you are responsible person, and to always be a good Samaritan.” – Machiko Koga

“The most important role model in my life that has helped me develop my character is my mother. My mother is the one who has taught me the six pillars of character counts: respect, trustworthiness, responsible, caring, fairness, and being a good citizen. She has always been there to check on me when I fall astray to follow these pillars and always called me out when she felt like I was doing the opposite. My mother is also the perfect example of the six pillars of character counts.”  – Elise Liberty

The W. Edward Bohrer Memorial Scholarship Program is administered by the City Community Services Division in cooperation with the Educational Enrichment Committee. For more information and to contribute to future scholarships, please contact Community Services Division.

Featured photo courtesy of HESS Construction