Ninth Annual Scholarship Competition

We are pleased to recognize our 2008 scholarship winners. If you wonder, “Does homeschooling actually work?” or "Will my children truly be ready for college?” these inspiring Sonlight graduates give ample evidence to respond with a resounding “yes”!

Because we seek to encourage personal excellence and quality education—and ultimately, to transform the world— we take great pleasure in acknowledging and supporting students who exemplify academic excellence, leadership, character, mission-mindedness, a heart for learning, creativity, and spiritual depth as they prepare for their future.

Sonlight awards $82,000 over the next four years to these Sonlight Scholarship Finalists.

All of the hard-working, talented applicants for this year’s scholarships have completed at least four Sonlight History / Bible / Literature programs (including high school levels up to graduation).

Several of these students have very high test scores (one has a perfect SAT score and several had 35 on the ACT). All of the students have exceptional character, are active in their communities, and represent the cause of Christ exceedingly well. We are proud to award each of these students with four-year scholarships to help them attend the college of their choice. We'd like to introduce this year's winners to you here.

$20,000 Scholarship Winner: Phillip Sweigart

Phillip Sweigart, of Oman, won this year's $20,000 scholarship ($5,000 annually). Phillip has been a "Sonlighter" since Pre-K—13 years ago—completing well over eight History / Bible / Literature programs.

Two major distinctives set Phillip Sweigart apart and determine his path: the fact that this 17-year-old has achieved fluency in Arabic through diligent study and 15 years of living in Oman, and the fact that he’s determined to use his language skills and knowledge of the Middle East, not simply for the lucrative positions he might pursue, but also to serve the Arab world—the very place that’s been his home and among the people so close to his heart.

His essay, “In Search of a Cause” dealt with his desire to strategically use his God-given abilities and circumstances for the Kingdom. He hopes “through God’s help to shine His light into the world’s darkness.” He plans to pursue a strong university Arabic program to help him prepare for further service.

That’s right—further service. He has already been active in serving others by leading the worship band at his church, he taught English as a second language in Lebanon, tutored students in Algebra and Chemistry, painted houses and shared the Gospel in India, and still found time to serve as a Student Council Representative and member of his varsity basketball team.

Hear our interview with Phillip!

Winners of $10,000 Scholarship ($2,500 annually)

Rachel Spoelman of Malaysia, a National Merit Commended Scholar, plans to attend INTI International University College in Malaysia and then Kettering University in Michigan. She plans to study engineering and continue to refine her writing skills. Her goal is to become a published author, and she currently has four titles in the works.

Rachel is a passionate performer and profuse author who is dedicated to Christ and gifted at living cross-culturally and learning new languages. She excels academically both in the arts and the sciences; she’s performed in numerous plays, served as a Bible and Missions teacher at her church, competed in forensics, and plays piano.

Hear our interview with Rachel!

Jacob Springer of Huntsville, TX, plans to study civil engineering with a liberal arts focus at Texas A&M University. He’s a National Merit Commended Scholar who’s made significant impacts in the areas of competitive speech and debate; American Legion Boys State; and counseling, leading recreation and lifeguarding at Trinity Pines Conference Center.

He’s encouraged over 300 children to love to read through literary promotions he organized for every third grader in his city.

Whether he is leading a young man from summer camp to Christ or leading his forensics and communication team to a national qualification, Jacob is a natural leader and public speaker who effectively articulates his goals and values.

Hear our interview with Jacob!

Eunice Wong of Malaysia exemplifies maturity, ministry-mindedness and creativity. She plans to draw on her talents in piano performance and songwriting.

Eunice wants to one day produce music that will inspire people to rediscover the love and awesomeness of God. She hopes to combine “skilled song-writing, cutting-edge technology and God’s anointing to create a new sound of worship that will draw people to him.”

She is an active leader in her youth ministry and church: she wrote and co-directed a play involving 40 young people and starred as the main character;she also served as a pianist, violinist, song-writer, worship leader, vocalist and dancer. She taught a workshop on prayer at a national conference, led a children’s ministry in her second language, and achieved high honors in piano competition.

[Since the announcement of our scholarship winners, Eunice Wong has decided to decline her Sonlight award and to enter into a short-term missions service program at this time, rather than a college program. We at Sonlight are excited for Eunice to follow God's call into missions and offer her our support in prayer.

Because the Sonlight scholarship is designed specifically for college programs, the scholarship committee met to determine another winner for the $2,500 award. We are excited to announce that the worthy recipient of this scholarship is Elizabeth Clevenger. Please see her bio below.]

Elizabeth Clevenger from Carpi, Italy, seeks to bring God glory through her life, including her plans to become a professional musician. She's played the flute for seven years and uses that gift in her church's worship band.

She's actively served as a translator for mission groups and a tutor for those hoping to learn English. She's demonstrated a consistent witness with coaches and fellow athletes on her volleyball team, fellow musicians, teachers, and neighbors. She plans to major in music at Calvary Bible College.

Hear our interview with Elizabeth!

Winners of the $4,000 Scholarship ($1,000 annually)

Sonlight also awards a group of scholars with a $1000 scholarship for each year of college. All of these winners will make a mark in the world and continue on the path of life-long learning.

Bethany Carlson of Clinton, MI, is an academician ( a National Merit Commended Scholar with a 35 on the ACT) as well as an artist. A lover of languages, she has pursued some level of knowledge in Spanish, Latin Hebrew, Arabic, and even Egyptian Hieroglyphics.

A mission-minded leader in her youth group, Bethany plans to attend a university with an Arabic program and senses God's call to overseas missions. She's performed in Fiddler on the Roof, played clarinet and percussion in an honor band, started her own jewelry-making business, and served on service projects from feeding the homeless to organizing a March for Life in Washington, D.C.

Joshua Coleman of Augusta, GA, is a National Merit Finalist and a gifted mathematician who scored above the 99 percentile on the SAT. He volunteers as a counselor for his church's Summer Adventure Day camp, draws and paints with an assortment of media, and began a ministry of reconciliation for young men from his church. He plays the guitar and piano, acts in musical theatre, plays for a competitive soccer club, and has won state and national awards in Math, Science, Mythology and Latin competitions.

Josh recently won Georgia's State Science Olympiad at Emory University by "thinking outside the box" to create a robot that could efficiently maneuver the competition's course. His team was the only one to successfully complete the tasks in the time allotted.

He's served Hurricane Katrina victims and people of the Philippines through construction, working in an orphanage, and sharing his testimony. He plans to pursue the fields of math and science in college, with the goal of investing in helping people through medicine or engineering.

Hear our interview with Josh!

Spencer Kyle Johnson of Signal Mtn.,TN, is a "renaissance man" who has performed in numerous theatre performances, served as director, producer, and actor of two short films, excelled as a competitive pianist, and participated in community service projects for causes from Muscular Dystrophy fund-raisers to youth leadership training. He is a member of Photographic Society of Chattanooga, president of ESA National Homeschool Honor Society, and a published writer. As captain and attorney of a nationally-winning Mock Trial team, he won "Best Attorney" multiple times and presented speeches at his city's Bar Association, participated in interviews for radio, television, and magazines, and received a letter of recognition from his U.S. congressman.

As an Eagle Scout, he planned and executed a project to create a lending library for an underprivileged Christian school in the Appalachian Mountains, including coordinating and organizing the 3,300 books donations. Kyle is an international traveler who attended the Oxford University Round Table lectures in Oxford, England and has served on a mission trip to the Czech Republic. He plans to attend Houghton College in NY to pursue a career as a professor in higher education, with an international focus.

Hear our interview with Spencer!

Jay Kinard of Signal Mtn., TN, is proficient in conversational Spanish—a tool he's used on many mission trips to Latin America. As an Eagle Scout, he's earned over 50 merit badges from community service, life skills and civic involvement and served as a Senior Patrol Leader and Assistant Scoutmaster. He's active in his youth group, serves as lead vocalist and guitarist for a youth band at his church and leads music for children's Sunday School and his church's family camp.

He serves as a tutor and mentor for a 5th grader,teaching him outdoor skills and serving as a male role model in his life. Jay competed regionally in Mock Trial and was awarded Outstanding Novice Attorney. He is a competitive swimmer, ultimate frisbee player and ballroom dancer. He plans to attend Lee University in Cleveland,TN, to major in Biology with a career in dentistry in mind.

Hear our interview with Jay!

Nathan Kinard of Signal Mtn., TN, is an accomplished competitive pianist with superior ratings in numerous state auditions. As an Eagle Scout, he's a regular volunteer in service opportunities, from clearing a tree from the house of a needy family to refurbishing a local historical site in his hometown, and he has represented the Cherokee Area Council before the state legislature.

He's served on several mission trips to aid Hurricane Katrina Victims, as well as a ministering in Nicaragua through translation, teaching children, and construction. He's a parliamentarian for the ESA National Honor Society and a regional and national champion in Mock Trial competition. An active member in his youth group, he also serves as a synthesizer for both the youth and adult bands, accompanies the Children's Choir, plays at nursing homes and is a member of his church's family camp music team. Nathan interests for the future revolve around law, physics and music. He has applied to Yale, Harvard, Vanderbilt and Emory.

Hear our interview with Nathan!

Erin Tillson of Gainesville, FL, is a songwriter with a knack for working with money. Erin plans to attend Houghton College in New York and become a certified public accountant. She is an accomplished scholar with a 35 on her ACT. She plays guitar and piano, is a member of a mandolin ensemble and a basketball team, and has performed in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

She has made significant impact in her work for Classical Development Services International, a Christian, non-profit organization that provides teacher training and administrative support for Northern Iraq schools. Among her accomplishments during her three years in Iraq, she managed a database of almost $500,000 tuition payments, conducted student selection testing ( she even kept her cool as she tested the self-control of 150 preschoolers), and substitute taught 9th grade honors Algebra. She has a heart to work with teenagers suffering from eating disorders and depression, and loves to use her gifts in music to express herself and bring God honor.

Hear our interview with Erin!

Andres Vargas of Durham, NC, has grown up in Spain, landed a perfect score on his SAT, earned National Merit Scholar status, and plans to attend North Carolina State to pursue a career in Engineering.

He served as a summer volunteer at Duke University's Durham Regional Hospital, mentors children in AWANA, plays guitar for Sunday School and kid's clubs at his church, does yard work for widows, and provides technical support for church worship services. He has a talent for digital photography and arranges power point presentations for his family's mission presentations on their stateside furloughs.

Eighth Annual Scholarship Competition

Sonlight's Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the winners of the 2007 Sonlight Curriculum College Scholarship Competition. All eight winners have been awarded four-year scholarships to help them attend the college of their choice.

Each of these Sonlight students has excelled academically. But perhaps more impressive than their test scores is each one's spiritual maturity, and the many interesting stories they've shared with us. With their permission, we now share some of those stories with you, including some direct quotes from the winners' scholarship application materials. We hope you will be as inspired as we are...

$5,000 Annual Scholarship ($20,000 total): Jeremy Okerman

Jerry Okerman, of Kita-ku, Kobe, Japan, won this year's $5,000 annual scholarship. His family has served in Japan as missionaries since before he was born. Jeremy just completed high school using his fifth Sonlight History / Bible / Literature program.

His academic success and potential shine through in recent test results. But while a high SAT score is excellent on its own, Jeremy and his parents may be prouder of exceptional marks he received on AP tests in U.S. History and Microeconomics...

"He wanted some AP studies, but there were no schools here for that," said Jeremy's mom, Jill. "So he created his own AP programs, from planning weekly lessons to passing College Board tests with flying colors."

More than an exemplary student, Jeremy serves his family and community in both practical and spiritual ways. Using self-taught computer and multimedia skills, he is working with his dad to teach English to Japanese students. The goal: to build relationships and open the door to sharing the gospel of Christ.

Jeremy is considering several schools in the United States, including Wheaton College and Grove City College, where his academic and Christian value standards are met and where his two older brothers have attended.

His strong scholastic performance and practical experience are opening countless opportunities for Jeremy. He hasn't yet determined exactly where his many interests will take him, but he does declare one clear purpose: to continue to pursue God, and His call.

"It's hard to see very far ahead when you're turning a corner," Jeremy said in his essay A Question of Quality. "Transition is the word that describes where I'm at right now. I know my life is in the best hands though: God's."

$2,500 Annual Scholarship ($10,000 total): Andrea Lynn Phillips

Andrea Lynn Phillips, of Pasadena, CA, won a $2,500 annual scholarship for 2007. Using four complete Sonlight programs in high school, and enjoying the books since kindergarten, Lynn became a passionate and prolific writer.

Her work has already been gaining notice. Lynn has won numerous writing awards, including the HSLDA Essay Competition (semi-finalist, 2002), the SMCC Film Festival (2005, for a short film she wrote and co-directed), and the UHRA Essay Competition (three-time winner). She also has Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards from Girl Scouts of America for—among other projects—creating an internet-based tool for homeschoolers across the country to link typical homeschool activities to requirements for earning Brownie badges.

Beyond her numerous awards (and many extracurricular activities), she has also been an ambassador for homeschooling. Her father, a university professor, writes, "At least two other families in our area decided to begin homeschooling after getting to know Lynn. As an 8th-grader, she impressed our campus recruiting officers so much, they began sponsoring booths at homeschool conventions; in recent years, at least a third of our top graduates have been Christian homeschoolers."

Lynn plans to attend Grove City College, and build a career as a writer of moral fiction.

$2,500 Annual Scholarship ($10,000 total): Kaitlin Christenson

Kaitlin Christenson, of Kokomo, Indiana, also receives one of this year's $2,500 annual scholarships. This graduate of five Sonlight levels has developed as a strong artist and leader with emphasis in creativity and missions.

She has already touched many lives. As captain and MVP for her volleyball team, Kaitlin has shown contagious enthusiasm, teamwork, and sportsmanship. She spent eight weeks one summer ministering to children all over Indiana through Child Evangelism Fellowship, and has led an informal local meal ministry throughout the year.

Kaitlin is also a gifted flutist and pianist. She has studied with several professional instructors at home and abroad, won many awards (including the Joan Knolinski Scholarship for winning first place in the Morning Musicale Competition), and held first chair at the renowned Interlochen Arts Camp.

"When she came to my class as a homeschooled student, her performance was outstanding," writes Suzanne Jones, a former teacher of Kaitlin's from a Christian Academy. "I wish more of my students demonstrated her level of intensity and persistence."

Kaitlin plans to pursue a music performance degree from Wheaton Conservatory before going on to study medicine and physical therapy.

$1,000 Annual Scholarships ($4,000 total each)

Kyle Macfarlan, of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, has homeschooled with Sonlight for at least five years, and is a serious student of history, government, politics and economics.

He recently won YMCA Youth and Government's "Best Overall Delegate" and "Character" Awards. Kyle has also won first and second place in many national essay and oratory competitions. He has served as President of his local homeschool organization's student government and of his local public library's teen volunteers. Meanwhile, Kyle also volunteers at his local church as an AWANA Club leader and audio systems technician.

Leslie Johnson, a YMCA Youth and Government Advisor, said of Kyle, "It's very unusual for a first-year delegate to exhibit the level of leadership and excellence that he displayed. Kyle is an initiator and a great communicator, with a mature and teachable spirit."
His mother, Laura, adds, "Through the many accolades and honors that have come his way, I'm heartened to see a spirit of humility and a servant's heart still at the core of who my son is." Kyle plans to enter John Brown University in the fall.

Kirsten Andrews, of Marysville, Washington, recently graduated from homeschool after using four Sonlight programs. While doing exceptionally well in academics, she has also excelled in other areas.

Music has long been a passion for Kirsten. In several years with the Seattle Children's Chorus, she has shown outstanding ability, leadership and commitment. Kirsten also regularly performs on violin with a local youth symphony orchestra and in her church.

As a gifted writer seeking to grow and communicate, Kirsten created and administered a creative writing website with hundreds of entries from members around the world. In her essay, A Disciple; Not a Talker, she writes about a dialogue with one member whose views fueled her desire to express her faith in written word. "She told me that thinking about truth frightened her, and that she would rather not know any truth for certain," Kirsten writes. "It made me realize how important it is for Christians to enter into artistic expression, where the messages are typically postmodern and materialistic."

Kirsten has plans to enter Northwestern University later this year.

Karyn Resch, of Missoula, Montana, began homeschooling with Sonlight in second grade. Her letters of recommendation all remarked on the pursuit of excellence which she brings into every area of her life.

"Her love of learning has led her to surpass all our expectations," writes her mother, Kerry. "She is pursuing academics on a level on par with what's expected of many college students. What a blessing and privilege it has been to teach her all these years."

She is respected by peers and adults alike, as a leader in her church youth group, a gifted musician and worship leader, a passionate missions volunteer, and a serious academic scholar. Karyn is planning to attend the University of Montana.

Anna Wargula, of North East, Pennsylvania, spent her school years in Sendai, Japan, with her missionary family. While attending a Japanese school, Anna began English homeschooling with Sonlight part-time in the evenings.

Christian outreach to her Japanese neighbors drove much of her extra time. Anna served as a volunteer at a local nursing home, and in an after school care program for Japanese elementary students. She also helped Japanese moms teach English to their preschool children at home.

"My missionary parents guided me in Biblical values and American traditions, while Japanese teachers gave me a uniquely eastern perspective," writes Anna. "I began to wonder which would become the main influence in my life. It dawned on me that I am first a citizen of God's Kingdom. Now, it is my sincere desire to return to Japan as a "Ëtent-making' missionary."

Anna is applying to attend Grove City College this fall, to study engineering.

Laura Kramer, of Muskegon, Michigan, has been homeschooling with Sonlight since 1997. Her academic performance has opened doors at several schools she has considered. But what has really impressed those around Laura is her heart to minister to the lost and hurting.

For years, Laura has served in various inner city ministries. She has helped provide meals to the homeless in Grand Rapids, worked in daycare and soup kitchens for the needy in Chicago, and more. Laura recently taught Sunday School and coordinated kid's activities during an extended study/missions trip to Lima, Peru.

Laura also serves her church as part of a youth leadership team, and as a worship leader (including leading an all-girl band at a Teen Purity Conference). Her youth pastor, David Rudd, writes, "Laura is a rare student whose balance, maturity, godliness, and compassion endear her to peers, staff, and my family. Her heroes are the missionaries she knows. In our church she has been vocal and active to love the underprivileged. She treats them the way I expect Jesus would. Laura has likely impacted me more than I did her."

Laura has applied to enter Cedarville University in Ohio this fall to pursue Physician Assisting studies.