South Orange Native Wins 2013 HK Project Scholarship

The HK Project has named its fifth scholarship recipient: recent Columbia High School graduate Rachel O'Keefe.

O'Keefe, who has lived in South Orange her entire life, is headed to the University of Rhode Island, where the incoming freshman reportedly plans to major in environmental science and management and to minor in film.

At CHS, she was president of the environmental club, served on the Green Team, helped found the school's Terra cycle program, worked on obtaining a grant for a school composter and helped the school get a new water fountain to reduce the number of plastic water bottles being used. She also showed off her thespian skills, portraying Mercy in this year's Black Box Theater presentation of the classic Arthur Miller play, "The Crucible."

"HK Project is happy to have Rachel O'Keefe represent HKP as our scholar this year," said Executive Director Amy Jo Curran.
  
Founded in 2010, the HK Project Scholarship Program awards a high school senior from Maplewood or South Orange a $5,000 scholarship to be used for an undergraduate degree at the college of his or her choice. The recipient is selected based on her or his work within the community, academic achievement and financial need.  
 
In her application essay, O'Keefe wrote about the importance of serving others.

"The way I see things, the community is yours and mine, and if someone has to put work in in order for the whole town to take away a better scenario, I am more then happy to give a little," she wrote.