LANSING – State Representative Mary Valentine (D-Norton Shores) today congratulated Reeths-Puffer High School senior Amanda Hutchins for her outstanding achievement in being awarded a $3,000 college scholarship for winning the tenth annual Bill of Rights Essay Contest, co-sponsored by the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) and the National Rifle Association (NRA).
"Out of the more than 200 young women who applied for the scholarship and submitted an essay, Amanda was one of only seven winners," Valentine said. "Amanda is a very bright student and extremely hard worker, and I'm so proud of her for this outstanding achievement. Students like Amanda reaffirm how important it for us to keep the best and brightest students right here in Michigan."
The mission of the NFWL is to provide strategic resources to women leaders for leadership development and effective governance. It is both nonprofit and nonpartisan. It does not take ideological positions on any current issue, and exists to assist women in the process of legislative debate, networking, re-elections, public-opinion molding and leadership. Scholarship winners receive $3,000 toward college tuition.
This year's Bill of Rights Essay Contest focused on "Revolutionary Women," and Hutchins' winning essay was focused on Abigail Smith Adams, the "2nd First Lady of the United States."
Hutchins, a senior at Reeths-Puffer High School who is planning on attending college next fall, plays in the high school band, is a member of the National Honor Society, and took a trip to the capitol in Washington D.C. with the Close Up Foundation, the nation's leading civic education provider.
Valentine mentored Hutchins at the 2007 annual NFWL conference, held at the historic Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Ky., Oct. 11-15. Valentine said the conference was an excellent opportunity for the winners to connect with legislators at all levels of governement from across the country.
"It's important to get more young women interested in politics," Valentine said. "For instance, in the Michigan House, only 20 legislators out of 110 are women. It's imperative that we strengthen our numbers, and opportunities like the NFWL scholarship will help empower women to be our future leaders."