UNHS had 20 applications submitted for the K. O. Broady Scholarship Fund during the 2020-2021 school year. UNHS is able to award scholarships annually to any students interested in furthering their education through UNHS. The Broady Scholarship Fund has provided well over $40,000 to students since its establishment in honor of Dr. K. O. Broady in the early 1980’s.
The following excerpt about Dr. K.O. Broady was taken from a UNL News Independent Study/Division of Continuing Studies newsletter in October 1981 (Vol. 61, No. 8):
“Dr. Broady was a University of Nebraska-Lincoln educator for nearly 40 years. He joined the Extension Division/Division of Continuing Studies in 1928 and served as Director of Extension from 1941-1963. In 1963 Broady joined the University’s Teachers College as a professor of educational administration. He was active in national and international education.”
UNHS had a wide geographical representation of Broady Scholarship applicants this year and was able to select and award scholarship funds to nearly half of the students who applied. The nine winning applicants represented Nebraska, Guam, South Africa, Thailand, and South America. Application requirements included three letters of recommendation and any non-UNHS high school transcripts for each student.
Here are this year’s winners, their geographic locations, and a statement from a recommendation letter for each student:
Joshua Belcher, Cape Town, South Africa
Comment from recommendation letter: “Joshua is an incredibly organized and motivated young man who always pushes himself to excel and achieve more. The model of independent study is incredibly suited to Joshua as he is a self-starter who thrives when given the freedom to explore academically. In Joshua you will find a student who has thrived because of the University of Nebraska High School.”
Chaya Deren, Cape Town, South Africa
Comment from recommendation letter: “There is no student quite like Musya. She is highly talented and couples this with determination, drive and creativity that leaves us amazed each semester. Musya does this all while holding every leadership position at our school. Musya’s ability to organize and motivate is inspiring.”
Yedidya Opert, Cape Town, South Africa
Comment from recommendation letter: “Yedidya is the 4th Opert sibling doing UNHS, and his older siblings have received Broady Scholarships in the past…Yedidya is a very academic student and a phenomenal writer. He demands a very high level of perfection from himself and will work overtime to achieve that. He has a great sense of humour that comes through in his work.”
Natnicha Puttarengsee, Chonburi, Thailand
Comment from recommendation letter: “Natnicha’s work is the best testament of her academic ability. She is a non-native speaker that is working at least 2 grade levels above her age-grade level and she earned a position on the UNHS Honor Roll last semester. As she is younger and allowed to work at a slower pace, it was not even expected that she would complete enough classes for the Honor Roll. It was entirely her own motivation, without prompting from our staff or her family to attempt this. We were both surprised and yet not surprised but certainly delighted.”
Luna Torres, Columbia, South America
Comment from recommendation letter: “There is great strength in Luna. I have seen her development not just in a group, but as an individual. She is constantly learning by herself, looking [for ways] to improve at home. If she has a question, she asks, to continue growing and showing her advancement. I can assure you that she is a disciplined young woman.”
Chana Van Zyl, Cape Town, South Africa
Comment from recommendation letter: “Chana is a lovely student who is an active participant in life at our school. She is a good role model to the younger girls and has brought life to the cultural element of our school. She has been organizing an end of year production and a talent show for all the girls division. She is a hard working and dedicated student who is always willing to help others.”
Kyla Charize Velandres, Papillion, Nebraska, USA
Comment from recommendation letter: “One of Kyla’s many strengths is her writing ability. In my A.P. class, I was able to read and grade many of her written essays and papers in class. Her quality of the written expression is very impressive, original in thought and clear. I am confident that she will continue to succeed in her studies. Kyla is a dedicated and responsible student that I have really enjoyed working with. She is not only a positive representative of her school, but also her community. Based on my time working with Kyla, I recommend her very highly.”
Monique Vieux, Asan, Guam, USA
Comment from recommendation letter: “I have been an observer of Monique’s ability to take on a challenging workload and motivate herself to keep on task for years now. If she encounters an issue in her work, she seeks out additional information and resources to make certain that she understands the material, as I witnessed through her Latin classes. She was able to keep her grades up to an exemplary level even while participating in multiple extracurriculars, to include volunteer work with her church, sports through her soccer team, and international travel for her school’s journalism team. Monique is an ideal student for online learning and the University of Nebraska’s dual enrollment program, and she has a strong personal sense of accountability.”
Nathan Vieux, Asan, Guam, USA
Comment from recommendation letter: “As the oldest of six children and a student who does both homeschool and some classes at his local high school, organization and planning have been necessary in all areas of Nathan’s life. Outside of the classroom, Nathan is involved in a variety of extracurricular activities, from robotics to choir and theatre, to NJROTC [Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps]. His ability to excel in these areas while staying on top of his academics is a testament to his independent drive for success and intrinsic motivation.”