Rebecca Paddock and Jessica Helwig are this year’s winners of the Bill Struck Memorial Scholarship.

Paddock, a student at GCI, was a captain on student council where she was involved in planning and running many school and community events. Along with being an outstanding student academically and a DECA member, Paddock played on the school’s field hockey and soccer teams, performed in the concert band and helped raise $40,000 for cancer research. Within the community, Paddock was a leader with the city’s summer playgrounds program and has been a volunteer in the community.

Helwig has been president of a number of groups at Southwood Secondary School, including the Student Music Activities Council, the Environmental Club and the Free the Children “We-School” Group. She has also found time to join three choirs, be on the Student Activities Council, Best Buddies Club, Grand River Environthon team, as well as a member of DECA. Outside school, she has worked as a lifeguard for the City of Cambridge, as well as assisting with a number of coffee house fundraisers.

This is the 13th year that the Bill Struck scholarship has been awarded to two students who have not only achieved success in school academics and athletics, but have also been involved in the community.

The scholarship was developed in memory of Coun. Bill Struck to honour his service to the community of Cambridge and his support of youth. Struck served 28 years on the Preston, Cambridge and Region of Waterloo councils until his death in 1997.

The Struck scholarship has been funded through City of Cambridge donations and fundraising initiatives by the Youth Advisory Council Cambridge. The scholarship was created in response to the many youth that are unable to access post-secondary education due to financial restraints.