California Association of Collectors Announces Third Annual Scholarship Awards

The California Association of Collectors Educational Scholarship Foundation (CACESF) held its third annual scholarship banquet on April 22, 2008 at The Hyatt Regency Capital View Room in Sacramento.

First place winner Dani Marco from La Mesa, second place winner Katherine Massey from Hemet and third place winner Wyatt Olson from Redding were selected from a panel of judges out of hundreds of applications that came in from all over the state. Applicants were asked to write an essay on "The Importance of Establishing and Maintaining Good Credit During Your College Years."

The three finalists read their essays in front of CAC members, family, and special guests Assemblyman Dave Jones, and Mike Genest from the Department of Finance. Each student received a certificate of recognition from the California Legislature, a certificate of participation, and will have their essay published in Collector’s Ink, the monthly journal of the California Association of Collectors. Each of the finalists were awarded scholarships. First place winner Dani Marco received $2,500; Second place winner Katherine Massey received $2,000 and third place winner Wyatt Olson received $1,500.

Dani Marco, the first place winner, grew up in La Mesa, a small suburb of San Diego. She is a straight A honor student at West Hills High School where she is the president of her senior class, founder and president of the school’s World Cultures Club, captain of her archery team and rotating captain of her Academic League Team. In 2001, Dani founded a non-profit foundation, Dani’s Sox in a Box, where she and hundreds of volunteers send new pairs of socks and letters of hope to thousands of needy people around the world. Dani is the principal harpist and percussionist for the San Diego Young Artists Symphony Orchestra and spends some of her free time performing harp healing therapy for neonatal premature infants and critically ill patients. Dani has narrowed down her college acceptance choices to Yale University, Stanford University and UMKC’s six year medical school program. Dani’s career ambition is to be a physician so that she can bring quality medical care to under served areas of our country and to developing nations abroad.

Katherine Massey, the second place winner, was born in Hemet and is the youngest of four children. Every morning she states her family motto, “have fun and learn a lot”, a simple reminder of how to live her life. Katherine loves to volunteer at Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a no-cost camp that provides medical care to children with cancer and helps children and their families recapture hope, enthusiasm and the love of life in an environment created especially for them. This summer, she will be living and working at the camp. Katherine’s hobbies include reading, working out, and spending time with her family and friends. Her goal in life is to pay forward the generosity and love her family has presented to her. Katherine has chosen St. Mary’s College of California where she plans on pursuing a dental career.

Wyatt was born in Mount Shasta and is the youngest of four children. He has been home schooled since the age of five and spent his childhood traveling with his family. At the age of ten, Wyatt moved to Redding where he currently resides. Wyatt is a senior at Stellar Charter School where he is a part-time music and photoshop teacher as well as the yearbook editor. His hobbies include photography and guitar. Last year he was one of ten students in the U.S. to receive the North American Nature Photographers Association Scholarship. Wyatt will be attending the University of Portland in the fall with a chemistry major and a possible minor in music.

The Educational Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2005 by CAC. The scholarship was started to help California high school graduates pursue their education at any accredited public or private college, university or trade school and to emphasize to high school seniors the importance of good credit management.

For the latest announcements for the 2009 scholarships, or for more information about CACESF, please visit CACESF’s website, www.cacesf.org.

CAC is a non-profit association that represents over 400 third-party collection agencies throughout the state. CAC’s mission is to promote, stimulate, increase and improve the educational, social, economic and ethical welfare of the California collection industry and the public it serves. For more information go to www.calcollectors.net or call (916) 929-2125.