Mary from Idaho Selected for Norway Scholarship

Mary Van Zeipel, a senior at Wood River High School in Hailey, Idaho has been selected for the “Memorial Fund of May 8, 1970” scholarship to attend Høgtun Folkehøgskole in Torvikbukt, Norway. 

Allowing only 100 new students per year, 90% of whom are Norwegian, Høgtun Folkehøgskole is one of the few Folke Schools that provide a “gap year” of personal and academic development for talented and promising students from across Norway and internationally. 

The ultimate goal of this program is to encourage students to expand their viewpoints between high school and college. Only one of the five American students to receive the scholarship, Mary learned of this incredible opportunity through the 2008 National Youth Leadership Conference in Minneapolis, sponsored by St. Luke’s YAK!. Mary is involved with St. Luke’s YAK! as the president of the Blaine County Teen Advisory Council (BCTAC). 

In the last four years, Mary has volunteered more than 450 hours of community service through BCTAC and St. Luke’s YAK! sponsored events. She is also the co-president of the Business and Finance Academy at Wood River High School and a member of the Business Professionals of America organization. Additionally, Mary has worked at South Valley Pizzeria for the last four years. Planning to major in social work at an American university, Mary hopes to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector. 

Source: SunValleyOnline.com