Wheelock College Celebrates Norton Scholar

Wheelock College celebrates Emily Jestus, a Norton local, along with 17 other Passion for Action Scholars at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Nov. 16, 6 to 9 p.m. The third Passion for Action Leadership Award Dinner will celebrate the positive social entrepreneurship of the Wheelock scholarship recipients. Dr. Carol R. Johnson, superintendent of Boston Public Schools, and Dr. Linda N. Nathan, founder and co-headmaster of Boston Arts Academy, will be honored with the 2011 Passion for Action Leadership Award. Karen Keating Ansara, co-founder of the Haiti Fund at the Boston Foundation, will present the keynote address.

Wheelock College’s four-year Passion for Action Scholarship Program is given to greater Boston area students who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to community service and involvement. Jestus received Wheelock College’s highly selective Passion for Action Scholarship this year. She is now a freshman and plans to study special education and performing arts at Wheelock.

Jestus graduated from Norton High School in 2011 where she was part of six honor societies including National, English, Science, Music, Math and French. She also acted in musicals for 10 years with the Triboro Youth Theatre in Attleboro and often helped backstage with younger children’s shows. She has also volunteered at her local library and spent the last year constructing a butterfly garden at a local elementary school to enrich the learning environment. Jestus is the recipient of the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement in girl scouting. Recently, Jestus was also recognized at Wheelock as the individual points leader for Win With Wheelock, a program encouraging student involvement on campus.

The mission of the Passion for Action scholarship is to support students in learning to nurture and apply their passion to become leaders for positive change in their communities, the nation and the world. The scholarship is paired with an academic program that develops the students’ leadership and community service skills. In May 2012, the first five Passion Scholars will be graduating. Wheelock plans to award five scholarships each year. The proceeds from the 2011 Passion for Action Leadership Award Dinner will support the growth of this special scholarship program.

For tickets and sponsorship opportunities contact Lauren Marquis at 617-879 2328, email lmarquis@wheelock.edu or visit www.wheelock.edu/wheelock/giving/passion-for-action.