College dreams closer to reality
for 12 high school kids

An opportunity open to high school students of any age, USBC's Gift for Life Scholarships are designed to help change lives.

Twelve USBC Youth bowlers from across the country have been selected to receive USBC's 2007 Gift for Life Scholarships.

Competition for the $1,000 Gift for Life Scholarships has been conducted annually since the 2001-2002 bowling season, in honor of the September 11 heroes and all who risk danger to save the lives of others. Evaluation of candidates is based on financial need, not bowling ability or performance.

"Many of our USBC Youth members face financial hardships, often the result of serious medical conditions that affect family finances," said USBC Chief Executive Officer Roger Dalkin. "The Gift for Life Scholarships help these deserving young people realize their dreams of attending college."

Two of the 12 awards given each year are reserved for a son and a daughter of police, fire or emergency rescue personnel. Of this year's recipients, Ryan Wyandt is the son of a Kutztown Borough  (Pa.) police patrolman and Kathleen Edsall is the daughter of a disabled Orangetown (N.Y.) police patrolman.

Want to try for a 2008 award?
Gift for Life Scholarship applicants must be USBC Youth members enrolled in high school and have a grade point average of 2.0 or better. Candidates may apply for the award each year they are eligible, even if they have received the award in a previous year.

Get more information on USBC Youth Scholarships and download applications. Can't download and print from your location? Applications also may be requested by phoning USBC's Scholarship Management and Accounting Reports for Tenpins (SMART) department at (800) 514-BOWL, ext. 3168 or e-mailing smart@bowl.com.  

2007 Scholarship Recipients

Joshua Arnold Age:  18 Hometown:  Spokane, Washington High School:  John R. Rogers High School Extracurricular Activities:  AFJROTC (flight sergeant and command chief), Second Harvest Food Drive, Second Harvest Project Hand Up Community Activities:  Habitat for Humanity, City Gate Kitchen, Camp Fun in the Sun, Boys & Girls Club, NE Youth Center, American Diabetes Walk Bowling: Team captain ('05-'06 and '06-'07), league sergeant at arms ('05-'06), league president ('06-'07). Joshua bowls in the Lilac Junior II League (Lilac Lanes at Cedar Creek), High School Traveling Scratch League and Junior Bowlers Tour. Goals: "My career choice is Global Security and Intelligence Studies and I have been accepted to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. This program will give me the knowledge to help reduce the effects of terrorism in the world. I will be able to join organizations, such as the government in Homeland Security, or in a local law enforcement agency, to protect the citizens of our great country. Helping my fellow countrymen is very important to me and I have decided that I will do this by staying active in my community through my job and in my personal life."
Matthew Bilyeu Age:  19 Hometown:  Anderson, Indiana High School:  Highland High School Extracurricular Activities:  Bowling, Rube Goldberg team Community Activities:  Church youth group, slow-pitch church softball, Amish Festival volunteer Bowling: League secretary. Matthew bowls in the Highland High School League and the Eastside Juniors League at Eastside Lanes. Goals: "I have applied and been accepted to Purdue University and would like to study physics and materials engineering." Motto: "People will forget what you say and may forget what you do, but they will never forget how you made them feel."
	Michael Brown Age:  19 Hometown:  Wellsville, Ohio High School:  Southern Local Junior/Senior High School Extracurricular Activities:  Varsity golf, student council representative and class secretary, Spanish club, STAMP (Stay Tobacco Free Athlete Mentor Program), tech aide, teacher aide, news anchor school broadcast, Ohio Buckeye Boys State delegate, prom committee, yearbook staff, pep club, varsity football statistician Community Activities:  Ohio River Sweep, American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Cystic Fibrosis Walk, Empire United Methodist Church Dinners Bowling:  Michael bowls in the Saturday Night Youth League at Salineville Lanes. He was also named to the USBC 2007 Who's Who All-Academic Bowling Team. This is the fourth year Michael has been selected as a Gift for Life Scholarship winner. Goals:  Plans to attend Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, to study sports management
	Megan Bush Age:  18 Hometown:  Butler, Pennsylvania High School: Butler Senior High School Extracurricular Activities:  Marching band, Spanish club Community Activities:  Vacation Bible School teacher, Big Brothers/Big Sisters Bowl-a-Thon, Herion Reality Tour participant, Children's International sponsor Bowling:  Megan bowls in the Family Bowlaway P.M. Junior/Senior League at Family Bowlaway Fun Center. Goals:  "I have always wanted to be a teacher. My career plans include going to Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a dual major of early childhood education and special education. My goal is to be the kind of teacher that will make an impression on my students that may someday help them to make good choices for their lives." Motto:  "To the world I may be one person, but to one person I may be the world."
Lewis Cabibi Age:  18 Hometown:  Stuart, Florida High School:  South Fork High School Extracurricular Activities:  Key club, varsity bowling team, Christian fellowship club, tutoring Community Activities:  Church praise team, church youth group, Artsfest Bowling:  Lewis bowls in the Aqua Services Juniors League at Stuart Lanes. Goals:  "I plan to become a psychiatrist… helping possibly thousands of people to regain or even claim their own lives back, as well as preventing crime and helping treat people who (due to their illness) may do something that would ruin or even end people's lives."
Jessica Cwik Age:  18 Hometown:  Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin High School:  Wisconsin Dells High School Extracurricular Activities:  Tennis captain, yearbook staff, pep band, middle school science tutor, academic decathalon, youth tennis coach, softball Community Activities:  4-H, Park & Rec tennis coach, public library volunteer, food drives, blood drives, Girl Scouts Bowling:  USBC Level I Coach, USBC Youth Leader, bowling team captain. Jessica bowls in the Saturday Majors League at Brewster's Lanes in Reedsburg. Goal:  Wants to be a pathologist
	Kathleen Edsall Age:  18 Hometown:  Pearl River, New York High School:  Pearl River High School Extracurricular Activities:  Yearbook club, varsity bowling team, women's select choir, jazz choir Community Activities:  Church choir, youth police academy volunteer intern, Locks for Love, Girl Scouts Bowling: Youth bowling coach, junior bowling association representative. Kathleen bowls in the Friday Mixed Teens League at Pearl River Lanes. Goal: Wants to become a doctor of nutrition
Matthew Sauer Age:  18 Hometown:  Byron, Minnesota High School:  Byron High School Extracurricular Activities:  Class treasurer, football team captain, bowling team, baseball team, basketball team, jazz band, show choir, band, choir, volunteer peer leader, DARE role model Community Activities:  Volunteer head coach for youth basketball players, Boy Scouts – Eagle Scout Bowling:  USBC Level I Coach. Matthew bowls in the Strike Rollers League at Recreation Lanes in Rochester, Minn. Goals:  Wants to major in either finance or engineering
Darrian Southern Age:  18 Hometown:  Elwood, Indiana High School:  Elwood Community High School Extracurricular Activities:  Bowling team, student advisory committee secretary, health occupations class president, blood drive Community Activities:  Bowl for Kids' Sake Bowling:  Darrian bowls in the Elwood High School League and the Lucky Strike Majors League at Lucky Strike Lanes. Goals:  Wants to be a nurse
	Kourtney Wilks Age:  18 Hometown:  Tillamook, Oregon High School:  Tillamook High School Extracurricular Activities:  Bowling club president ('06-'07) and treasurer ('05-'06), Outdoor School counselor, junior high math tutor, Kilchis Retirement lunch buddy Community Activities:  Pre-school Multi-Modular Exams, various flu vaccination clinics Bowling:  Bowling coach assistant. Kourtney bowls in the High School Bowling League at Tillamook Bowling Center. Goals:  Attend Chemeketa Community College, then transfer to Oregon State University to major in science. Her ultimate goals are to become a physician assistant and bowl at the professional level.
	Elizabeth Wilson Age:  18 Hometown:  East Liverpool, Ohio High School:  Buckeye On-line School for Success Extracurricular Activities: Bowling Bowling:  Elizabeth bowls in the Tri-State Junior Bowlers League at Tri-State Lanes. Goals:  "Go to college and obtain a degree to better my life."
Ryan Wyandt Age:  19 Hometown:  West Lawn, Pennsylvania High School:  Wilson Senior High School Extracurricular Activities:  Varsity bowling (team captain in '05-'06 and '06-'07), football Community Activities:  Brat-Pak secretary Bowling:  Reading – Pottstown USBC Youth Committee member. Ryan bowls in the Monday Scholastic Challenge League, Berks Scholastic Boys League and the 8:30 Mixed #49 League at Colonial-Berks Lanes as well as the Terre Trophy Sport Shot League at Bowl-O-Rama Lanes. Goals:  Wants to study computer science