Scholarship rewards teens' determination

SANDPOINT - There's a certain kind of kid who flies just below the radar when scholarships are handed out. They've graduated from high school and have their sights set on college. They were good students, but not academically outstanding.

Sometimes, that's because they needed to go straight home from a day of classes to care for their child. It might not have been possible to amass a long list of school society or club memberships due to the fact that they were spending afternoons and evenings at work, earning money to pay rent and buy their own groceries.

On Thursday, those students had their moment in the spotlight when they were recognized - and rewarded with money for college - through a scholarship fund sponsored by Ivano's Ristorante Italiano and Riley Creek Lumber Co.

There were more hugs than handshakes as the recipients stood to accept the award certificates, which amounted to $13,000 going out to a total of 12 students. And although the crowd was small and the setting casual - the event took place under the vine-covered pergola of the Ivano's courtyard - every honoree got a round of applause and cheers from the other students gathered for the low-key ceremony.

“The scholarships are based on a combination of need and extraordinary determination in overcoming things at home or other cultural, social stuff,” said Sandy Compton, who sits on the scholarship committee with Ivano's family owners Jim and Pam Lippi and their daughter, Jessica Tajan.

“Some of our awards this year went out to single parents, but there were also kids who were working really hard to get through high school while they were living on their own,” Compton added.

“These aren't necessarily the students who had straight A's in school,” said Pam Lippi.

“But they're all college-bound,” her husband, Jim, explained. “One of the questions we ask them is: Are you committed to graduating?”

While the top four scholarships, which totaled almost $5,000 between them, went to students who were raising a child, living independently, or both, additional awards of about $650 each were given to graduating seniors who were long-time Ivano's employees. Because they've proven to be dependable and shown they aren't afraid of hard work, the Lippis help provide them with a little extra college money as they start a new chapter in their lives.

The last four awards are set aside for what Compton called the “returners” - students who received money from the scholarship fund in prior years and have applied themselves since.

“They get $500 each because they did well in school,” he said. “They took our money and did well with it.”

The returners also are called upon to help out with the fundraising event that makes the scholarships possible. On the first Saturday of June, the Italian Invitational Golf Scholarship Fundraiser is held at the Priest Lake Country Club, “regardless of the weather,” said Jim Lippi. The tourney, which has been going on for the past five years, took place under soggy circumstances this year, but still managed to attract nearly 120 participants and keep the fundraising tally at near-record levels.

“We're now in the $50,000 range for money raised during the whole time we've been doing this,” Compton said.

There were 42 applicants for the scholarship in 2008, once again showing that the need is far greater than the funding available to support it. That has been the case since the scholarship program got off the ground, the committee members said. Fortunately, there have been strong partners along the way.

Marc Brinkmeyer, president of Riley Creek Lumber Co., was sitting in Ivano's as the student interviews wrapped up during one of the early years of the program and asked what was going on. When he learned about the funding shortfall, he stepped in to help.

“He wrote us a check right then and there,” Compton said.

About two dozen additional individual and business sponsors pledge amounts from $100 to $1,000 to fuel the scholarship fund through the golf tournament.

The students had barely left the Ivano's courtyard when the four committee members huddled together, smiles on their faces, to mull over next year's fundraiser.

“We'll start the planning process a little bit earlier,” Compton said to the Lippi family. “And we'll pray for better weather.”