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Nordstrom Prize Patrol Visits Sch’dy High School
Surprises Senior with $10K Scholarship
 The
Prize Patrol from the Nordstrom Scholarship Program showed up at
Schenectady High School Monday to surprise senior Amanda
Kellawon, with the news that she is the winner of the Nordstrom
$10,000 scholarship.
The surprise announcement and award was presented to her in her
morning class before her teacher, guidance counselor, house
principal, classmates and family members.
Kellawon was
shocked when she spotted Jerzy Romanowski, diversity affairs
director from Nordstrom entering the room with her parents.
Romanowski was carrying a huge card board check made out to the
winner in the amount of $10,000. Her parents were smiling
proudly as they followed close with a bouquet of flowers in
hand. When Romanowski asked the student if she knew why he was
there today. She put her head in her hands and said, “yes, oh
wow, really?”
 Kellawon
didn’t expect Nordstrom to announce the scholarship winners
until the end of October and said she certainly didn't expect to
be a winner.
The company received 597 applications last year from juniors
throughout the country. That number was narrowed down to 12
semi-finalists and then eight were selected to receive the
award.
“I am just
shocked,” said Kellawon as she answered questions from the local
media. “I told myself, ‘if you get, you get it,” she said. “I
was proud that I made it so far. I prayed everyday.”
 Kellawon
said she couldn’t believe that she even made the semi-finals and
referred to the application process which began over a year ago,
as very “intense.” In addition, to writing two essays,
semi-finalists were required to visit Nordstrom and interview
with the regional selection committee which was made up of local
community leaders.
Kellawon holds a
3.5 G.P.A. and is in the top 5% of her graduating class at
Schenectady High School. She is an International Baccalaureate
diploma candidate and has Advanced Placement and University in
the High School credits under her belt.
She has
volunteered her time at church and for groups, organizations and
causes throughout the community including the City Mission,
Baptist Health Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Learning
Center, Fight Against Skin Cancer, Barnes and Noble Book Night,
Concerned for the Hungry, American Red Cross, Girls Inc. and the
Hamilton Hill Arts Center.
Kellawon has
participated in an array of extracurricular activities such as
Schenectady Hindu Temple Youth Group, Key Club, National Honor
Society, Blue Roses Theatre Company, Sponsor a Scholar and
Photography Club. Kellawon is currently a member of the
National Society of High School Scholars.
 Kellawon
has not decided where she wants to go to college or what she
wants to study but is said she is leaning toward the healthcare
field.
Kellawon said that
while the scholarship will help ease the financial burden of
paying for college, it means more than that.
“There are people out there who think I can make a difference,”
she said. “That inspires me to keep on going.”
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