A new $1,000 scholarship fund will be available to graduating high school students in the region who are interested in the field of law.
The West Shore Sarah Beckett Scholarship is funded through the West ShoreB次元官网网址檚 RCMP and Community Policing Advisory Committee coming together to match the amount raised in a local benefit concert.
Const. Sarah Beckett, a local RCMP officer, was killed in the line of duty on April 5, 2016.
The scholarship isnB次元官网网址檛 limited only to applicants who want to be a police officer or serve in law enforcement, noted West Shore RCMP Const. Nancy Saggar.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very important for people, especially our youth who are now going into post-secondary education, to understand what their rights are, and what the laws of the country that they live in are, so thatB次元官网网址檚 something that we want to encourage,B次元官网网址� she said, adding that the scholarship would assist in that education.
ALSO READ: Sarah Beckett scholarship concert by David Gogo raises $2,000+
Applicants must be graduating high school students who are residents of either Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Highlands, Metchosin, Songhees Nation or Esquimalt Nation in order to be eligible. They also must be enrolled in a post-secondary institution within a year of graduating.
B次元官网网址淓xtra consideration will be given to students that have experience in community service or volunteering,B次元官网网址� the guidelines state. The applicant must provide two reference letters and one page on why they should receive the scholarship. Full can be found on the West Shore RCMP website.
In 2017, over 200 Greater Victorians came together for a charity concert performed by David Gogo, a four-time Juno award nominated Blues guitarist to honour fallen constable Sarah Beckett. That concert was spearheaded by Rick Stiebel, noted Saggar, a Black Press Media columnist and former reporter and contributor to the Gazette.
ALSO READ: Hundreds participate in first Sarah Beckett Memorial Run
B次元官网网址淚 got to know Sarah a little as the [West Shore RCMP] community liaison,B次元官网网址� Stiebel said. B次元官网网址淪he was an incredibly vibrant person who added something special with her presence. All of her colleagues and coworkers had a chance to see how truly special she was.
B次元官网网址淚 had to cover the press briefing the day she died for the Gazette and was really moved by how deeply impacted everyone was,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 approached the family about putting on a concert to raise money for a scholarship to keep SarahB次元官网网址檚 memory alive in the community, and they agreed.B次元官网网址�
The concert ended up raising just under $2,400.
ALSO READ: David Gogo: A life spent living and learning the blues
B次元官网网址淚 was overwhelmed by the support from local businesses, and especially the city of Langford, Mayor Stew Young and the community, who really stepped up in making the concert a success,B次元官网网址� Stiebel said.
He added, B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really pleased that the Community Policing Advisory Committee has decided to provide funding to make it possible.B次元官网网址�
The scholarship has enough funding for the next five years. Deadlines are set for the last Friday of April, which this year falls on the 26th.
swikar.oli@goldstreamgazette.com
