When Levine And Wiss debuted the Community Impact Scholarship available to the public, the team hoped it would attract students who’ve dedicated their time and resources to the betterment of communities in need. This year’s scholarship applicants exceeded the firm’s expectations, but one student’s application stood out from the rest.
Levine And Wiss’s team wants to reward the efforts of Babson College student Angelina Widmer. Widmer dedicated a considerable amount of her high school career to a partnership with The Book Fairies.
As an intern, she helped The Book Fairies overcome barriers limiting literacy in underfunded schools throughout New York City and the surrounding counties.
The Westbury personal injury lawyers with Levine And Wiss applaud Widmer’s commitment to improving literacy in low-income communities and hope that the Community Impact Scholarship can help her continue to pursue her academic goals.
Angelina Widmer Champions Literacy
“The most important skill learned in school is the ability to read,” begins Widmer’s scholarship essay. “However, far too many public schools around the country don’t have libraries or enough books that elementary school children can read either in their school or borrow to read at home. Literacy rates are closely linked to living in impoverished areas.”
This opening paragraph paves the way for Widmer to take a closer look at the correlation between a lack of access to high-quality education and reading materials and poverty levels throughout New York State and the United States.
Not only does Widmer acknowledge that a lack of resources can contribute to a child’s reduced quality of life, but she also notes that she was inspired from a young age to fight back against this specific kind of economic and educational inequality. Her own childhood saw her embrace an early love of reading that she remains determined to share with the world.
Working With The Book Fairies
It was that passion for reading that drove Widmer to start working with The Book Fairies, a literacy organization in New York City. The Book Fairies sponsor events that put books into the hands of underfunded schools throughout New York State’s most in-need communities.
Widmer’s contributions to the organization have been numerous. She raised $1,200 through one of the program’s Read-a-Thons and served on The Book Fairies’ charity board. She also collected over 3,000 books through a wide range of book drives, including drives that she hosted at her swimming and indoor track events.
Widmer’s passion has spread through her community, leading family, friends, neighbors, and other community members to deliver books directly to her, knowing that she will put them in the hands of people in need. Her efforts saw in-need communities continue to receive books even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taking Inspiration From Close to Home
Widmer’s dedication to communal literacy has also seen her organize book drives to improve literary access in homeless shelters, libraries, and prisons. Her efforts have even had an impact on international literacy facilities.
While reading has always been a passion of Widmer’s, she insists that she was inspired to greater acts of community service by her parents. “My biggest inspiration is my parents because they have always been supportive of anything and everything I’ve wanted to try,” she says.
“Whether I was perfect the first time or never got it right, they would always encourage me and fill me with such hope that I knew I could accomplish anything. They supported me through my college selection process and have continued to support me as I transition into college life.”
What to Expect From Angelina Widmer in the Future
Widmer is currently a student at Babson College, where she’s majoring in business administration. She plans to concentrate in finance. She hopes that her degree will make it easier for her to understand how to build a business from the ground up and what facets make today’s businesses successful.
Upon her graduation, Widmer plans to pursue a career in corporate finance, ideally through New Balance. She’s also fiercely interested in personal finance and wants to put her financial literacy skills to work for others at some point in her career.
Even as she deep-dives into the world of business, Widmer intends to remain committed to efforts that improve literacy throughout the world. She plans to continue volunteering with The Book Fairies throughout her college career and in the years that follow.
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About Levine And Wiss, PLLC’s Community Impact Scholarship
Levine And Wiss debuted its Community Impact Scholarship to celebrate students who’ve dedicated themselves to the betterment of in-need communities. Our personal injury lawyers want to reward students who’ve made an active effort to engage with critical questions about inequality while dedicating their time and resources to the improvement of others’ lives.
The Community Impact Scholarship promises its winning students $2,500 upon their completion of a scholarship essay detailing the efforts they’ve made to address inequality and need in at-risk communities. These essays must be between 500 and 800 words and need to reach the scholarship selection committee before the deadline for applicants to qualify.
Levine And Wiss looks forward to offering the Community Impact Scholarship again in the years to come and hopes that it can continue to support students who’ve given so much of themselves to others.
Congratulations, Angelina Widmer!
Widmer’s concerns about literacy grow even more pressing as the American education system transforms, but her dedication, along with that of organizations like The Book Faires, tells a story of hope. Widmer’s efforts speak to her compassionate heart and her sound belief in the importance of easily accessible literature and continuing education.
The legal team with Levine And Wiss is proud to offer Widmer the financial support she needs to pay for tuition and other expenses at Babson College as she continues to pursue her business degree.
The team has no doubt that Widmer’s empathy and compassion will continue to serve her well as she completes her education and pursues the career of her dreams.
Students with their own stories about thoughtful and heartfelt community outreach can visit the Community Impact Scholarship’s terms and conditions page for more information about the scholarship’s qualifying criteria and upcoming deadlines.