Scholarships & Awards

Advancing women and girls through education

Live Your Dream Award

This award helps women in overcoming personal difficulties and bettering their lives through education and training. To be eligible for this award, an applicant must be enrolled in or accepted into an undergraduate degree or vocational skills training program, the primary wage earner in her household, and able to demonstrate financial need. The recipient may use the cash award to offset any costs of higher education, such as tuition, books, childcare, or transportation.

Recipients of our local $4,000 award are eligible for additional cash awards from other levels of the world-wide Soroptimist organization, up to $16,000 finalist awards.

Each year, more than $2.8 million in education grants are awarded to over 1,700 women, many of whom have overcome enormous obstacles including poverty, domestic violence, the death of a spouse and/or substance abuse.

Applications for the 2026 LYDA will be posted here around August 15, 2026.

2025 Live Your Dream Award Recipient

We are pleased to announce the recipient of the $4000 Live Your Award was presented to Kelsey Venegas in early December 2025.

Kelsey Venegas is currently enrolled with University of Washington for a Human Resources certificate program , graduating September 2026. Previously graduating from a California community college with an Associate's in Behavioral Sciences, Kelsey moved to the island in 2016 and focused on raising her young children.

Now prioritizing her own education and future, Kelsey is very thankful to receive this scholarship. It has aided her in rapidly evolving from a stay at home parent to primary wage-earner. Pursuing a career in HR will offer a healthy work-life balance with plenty of flexibility for family life and continued commitment to this island community.

Continuing Education Award

The Continuing Education Award helps San Juan County residents overcome financial difficulties and better their lives through education and training. The recipient may use the cash award to offset any costs of higher education, including such things as tuition, books, childcare, and transportation.

To be eligible for this award, an applicant:

has graduated from high school or has earned a State issued GED (General Education Development) certificate;
must be enrolled in, or accepted into, undergraduate study* at an accredited college, university; or an accredited vocational/trade skills training program;
and able to demonstrate financial need.

* includes accredited online programs

Acceptance of submitted applications for the 2026 Continuing Education Award (CEA) ended on February 15, 2026. We plan to offer this award again in November 2027.

Please direct any questions to: sifrib4w@gmail.com

Soroptimist members, their immediate family members, and previous recipients of Soroptimist awards are not eligible to apply.

2026 Continuing Education Award Recipient

We are pleased to announce the recipient of the 2026 Educational Opportunity Award was awarded $4000 in early March 2026. For personal reasons, this deserving young woman has request anonymity.

Fellowship Award

The Fellowship Award is presented to a San Juan County woman who is returning to school for postgraduate study in an accredited college or university leading to an advanced degree (Masters or Ph.D.). The recipient may use the cash award to offset any costs of higher education, including such things as tuition, books, childcare, and transportation.

To be eligible for this award, local women must be:

candidates must hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree and present a plan for postgraduate study* at an accredited college or university for an advanced degree.
must provide such information as the Fellowship Award Committee may deem necessary.

*includes accredited online programs

Acceptance of submitted applications for the 2026 Fellowship Award (FSA) ended on February 15, 2026. We plan to offer this award again in November 2027.

Please direct any questions to: sifrib4w@gmail.com

Soroptimist members, their immediate family members, and previous recipients of Soroptimist awards are not eligible to apply.

2026 Fellowship Award Recipient

We are pleased to announce the recipient of the $4000 Fellowship Award was presented to Tara Plank in early March 2026.

Tara Plank is a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) at Rooted Physical Therapy who is passionate about helping people move better and reduce pain. She is currently returning to school to pursue her Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) through Tufts University School of Medicine - Seattle, continuing her commitment to lifelong learning and advancing patient care. In addition to her work in the clinic, she teaches yoga classes that focus on improving posture, core stability, and body awareness. Her goal as a future physical therapist is to help people move with greater confidence while developing a deeper understanding of their own bodies and how they move. Outside of work and school, she enjoys swimming and staying active.

2025 High School Scholarships Recipients

Through your generosity Soroptimists awarded graduating high school women with a total of $19, 500 in scholarships during the Friday Harbor High School Graduation Ceremony on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Patty Brightman, President and Eileen Frazer, President elect, presented the scholarships to seven outstanding high school girls. We awarded four $3000 awards and three $2500 awards. Thank you to our generous and supportive community who made these awards possible.

The award winners are Kira Clark, Georgia Keune, Meagan Mellinger, Nylah Pieples, Kailey Raivo, Paloma Waldron and Katherine Youngsman (listed alphabetically). We are very proud of these young women and know they will make the world a better place as they pursue their goals. You have made a significant difference in their lives by providing support for their future endeavors and enabling them to follow their dreams.

Kira Clark will attend Whitworth University using her scholarship and plans to study Health Sciences. After her bachelor’s degree, she will go on to earn a masters degree in nutrition. Her ultimate goal is to become registered dietician.

Georgia Keune was is bound for the University of Washington where she will study psychology and criminal justice. Ultimately, she hopes to attend law school. The justice system has always intrigued her and her goal is to make a real difference in a field that is extremely important to the overall well-being of a functioning society.

Megan Mellinger received the STEM scholarship and will attend the University of Washington where she will study bioengineering. Biology is her passion and bioengineering will enable her to use her creativity to design medical devices or perhaps work in biotech industries. This area of study combines biology, mathematics, medicine, and engineering, and will allow her to follow her passions and hopefully make the world a better place.

Nylah Pieples will attend Boise State and study business with the help of her

scholarship. While in high school she served as an intern at a locally owned business, and gained valuable insight into the day-to-day operations and challenges of running a business. The experience sparked a deep interest in business. She is eager to build on what she has learned and explore the many opportunities the business world has to offer.

Kailey Raivo received our Community College Scholarship and will attend Bellevue Community College. She is excited to pursue a career in ultrasound technology and work with pregnant women on their journey to becoming mothers.

Paloma Waldron will attend the University of Arizona to pursue a degree in business and sports management. This will help her explore her passion for sports, leadership, and community development.

Katherine Youngsman is off to the University of Notre Dame and will study International Economics and Math with a minor in German. She hopes to build a career that bridges cultures, supports international collaboration, and contributes to more informed, equitable economic policy.

2023 Ruby Award Recipient

Rachelle Radonski

Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor is honored to award Rachelle Radonski for her role in supporting women, children, and families in the community.

Rachelle has been managing the Friday Harbor Food Bank since 2019. The Food Bank is open to the public and is a non-profit under the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture that operates solely on contributions and community donations.
Rachelle works tirelessly to bring efforts together with other island food programs and donations. She teams with Meals on Wheels and the Family Resource Center to help pack food for deliveries.

In 2020, she started “Order by Phone” in 2020 for those who cannot get to the Food Bank. The Food Bank also provides children with the breakfasts and lunches they are missing when not in school through the Summer Kids Program.

Rachelle is most proud of the expansion and new storefront that was completed in January 2023 with more opportunities and privacy for customers.

The Food Bank serves approximately 115 households on Wednesdays and 190 on Saturdays and average 75 online orders every week and is a valuable resource to the community.