KCSD’s Partner Avera Health Funds Scholarships for Students in Healthcare
KCSD’s Partner Avera Health Funds Scholarships for Students in Healthcare
Attendees at the upcoming KCOA National Conference in Denver will have an opportunity to meet the 2025 Kids’ Chance National Student Ambassadors: Annie, Kevin and Karley.
As ambassadors, these Kids’ Chance scholarship recipients will help raise awareness of the Kids’ Chance mission and the availability of scholarships to help other kids impacted by a workplace tragedy.
“The role of national ambassador is challenging, requiring students to be open about their family’s loss and about the uncertainty they faced as the result of a workplace tragedy,” KCOA President Jennifer Wolf says. “We are grateful to Annie, Kevin and Karley for going the extra mile to become national ambassadors for our scholarship program, especially at a time when they are busy continuing their education and pursuing their careers.”
Annie
Annie has come a long way since 2020, when she learned on the day of her high school graduation that her father had been killed in the line of duty. “After my father passed, I no longer wanted to attend college,” she says. “My mom was going through a packet of information related to worker’s compensation, came across the KCOA scholarship brochure, and decided to tell me about it. Looking back, I think it was a sign to keep moving forward with my education.”
In 2024, Annie graduated summa cum laude from Texas State University with a bachelor of science degree in family consumer sciences. She is applying to graduate programs with the goal of becoming a doctor of occupational therapy – a dream she has held since 8thgrade.
The KCOA Student Ambassador program offered Annie the opportunity to keep her father’s memory alive while also helping others in similar situations. “My father’s death was publicized across the country for all the wrong reasons,” she says. “As a student ambassador, I can tell his story the right way, focusing on his contributions to the community.
“It is also an opportunity to show that bereaved children can be more than a statistic,” Annie continues. “We can move forward and accomplish things, and we can be role models for others.”
Kevin
Kevin agrees. A 2024 graduate of the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, he is putting his computer science degree to use in a two-year leadership development program at aerospace and defense giant RTX while pursuing a master’s degree in electrical engineering at Penn State.
“I am thrilled to spread awareness about KCOA,” Kevin says. “Kids’ Chance funded my education at a time in my life when there was a lot of uncertainty. I hope that my role as a student ambassador will inspire people and that I can encourage donors to provide more resources for students like me.”
Karley
Karley,of South Dakota, completed her degree in communications at GustavusAdolphus College in 2021, thanks to a four-year KCOA scholarship. Sheis currently working as a business development officer at FirstDakota Title.
“The National Student Ambassador program offers a great way to give back,” she says. “I love educating, sharing my story and being in community with others who have suffered because of a parent’s workplace accident. I consider my service to be a big part of my legacy. I hope I can be a light to others!”