July 31, 2010

Atlanta, Ga. — The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) has selected 12 outstanding young volunteers to receive cash awards under the Jesse Brown Memorial Youth Scholarship Program. The first place scholarship of $15,000 was awarded to Stephanie Wu of San Francisco, Calif., who last year contributed 304 hours of volunteer service at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in her hometown. The second place scholarship of $10,000 went to Solene Goycochea who volunteers at the San Diego, Calif., VA Medical Center. Two third place awards of $7,500 went to Joshua Riggins of St. Petersburgh, Fla., and Christopher Davis of Cincinnati, Ohio. Eight others received $5,000 scholarships.

The Jesse Brown Memorial Youth Scholarship Program honors deserving young people who have donated their time and compassion to sick and disabled veterans in their communities through the DAV Voluntary Service Program.

“These scholarships represent thousands of hours donated to improve the care and morale of our nation’s disabled veterans,” said DAV National Commander Bobby Barrera. “They also represent relationships that have been built between our nation’s veterans and a new generation of future leaders who have learned to appreciate their service and sacrifices.”

The $5,000 scholarship winners are: Errol Jimerson of Jackson, Miss.; Reshma Muppala of Silver Spring, Md.; Benjamin Meidinger of Sparks, Nev.; Amy Hansen of Muskogee, Okla.; Samantha Lambert of Berry, Ky.; Janez Young of Jackson, Miss.; Johnathan Schickinger of Cumming, Ga.; and Keyla Gammarano of Arlington, Texas.

The 1.2 million-member Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, represents this nation’s wartime disabled veterans. It is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation’s disabled veterans and their families. For more information, visit the organization’s Web site www.dav.org.

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