The Richard Williams Memorial Scholarship was established in 2006 in memory of Richard Williams, who founded YES in 1968. While he did not achieve more than an 8th grade education, Richard realized that education was the key to unlocking dreams. The Richard Williams Memorial Scholarship continues Richard’s legacy by giving Boston teens the financial support to pursue a post-secondary education. We are proud to announce the 2020 Richard Williams Memorial Scholarship recipients below.
Rose Gould
Boston University (Boston, MA)
Rose came to YES in 2016 and joined the Leadership Corps program. She has been a part of the youth leadership for Operation Snowsports every winter since then. Rose also served as an impact intern for two years. She is always looking for the next opportunity to be involved, and she assisted with rental shop nights throughout the Operation SnowSports season. Throughout her time at YES, Rose grew from looking up to the older volunteers to experiencing rewarding personal and professional growth as a leader and role model. Outside of YES, Rose is an active member of her school community and participated in many other extracurriculars throughout high school. Her range of experiences has demonstrated a desire to lead and care for others. Rose is attending Boston University and plans to study biology with a focus on the pre-med track. After completing college, Rose hopes to attend medical school.
Ginika Okoli
University of Massachusetts Lowell (Lowell, MA)
Ginika first joined YES in 2017 and became a Leadership Corps member. As an active participant in our Outdoor Adventure Sessions and Operation Snowsports throughout the years, Ginika served as an instructor for snowboarding, and then continued on to become a member of our summer and school-year staff. Over the summer, she consistently led as a camp counselor. After plenty of experience outdoors, she continued learning with us through career exploration and college prep sessions. Ginika has become a more outgoing and adventurous person through YES and developed crucial leadership skills. Outside of YES, Ginika is a well-rounded member of her school and community through volunteering, work, and community programs. She remained active with YES throughout this previous summer even with the challenges that this year has presented. Ginika is attending University of Massachussetts Lowell and plans to study business with hopes to one day become a marketing executive.