The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Pacific Southwest Region recognized HELM Fellows Lydia Yang and Lauren Kim during its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship offers financial assistance to full-time college students who are committed to ministry in inner city or urban settings, or in social action through peace and justice. In addition to completing an essay application, applicants must be an active member of a recognized congregation of the CC(DoC) PSWR, and be recommended by a pastor, church board or school counselor. Rev. Nora Jacobs, Restorative Justice Minister at Urban Mission Pomona and an organizer of the MLK, Jr. Celebration, commented that
both Lydia and Lauren wrote very moving essays about themselves and the struggles they experienced in the face of preconceptions and expectations of the different cultures that have shaped them, as well as how the seek to carry out social action through peace, justice, and reconciliation work.
Lydia Yang in a first-year student at Chapman University and a member of First Christian Church of North Hollywood in California. She has been active in the Pacific Southwest Region as a member of the Youth Leadership Team and as part of the Youth and Young Adults Planning Committee for the North American Pacific and Asian Disciples (NAPAD) Biennial Convocation in 2016. Lydia plans on going to medical school to become a pediatrician.
Lauren Kim is a first-year student at Yale University and a member of Sallims Christian Church in Southern California playing active roles in the church’s band and English Ministry. Lauren has also been involved in leadership roles with NAPAD and the General Youth Council. At Yale, she is studying Environmental Science and works for the Yale Sustainable Food Project.
Both Lydia and Lauren entered HELM’s Leadership Fellows Program at the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year.
The Pacific Southwest Region’s MLK, Jr. Celebration took place Saturday January 21, 2017 at Casa de Refugio Christian Church in West Covina, California. Rev. JoAnn Bynum, Director of Student Life at Disciples Seminary Foundation, presented the award to both candidates. Lydia read an excerpt from her winning essay during the recognition while Rev. Bynum read on behalf of Lauren who was unable to attend.
HELM’s Leadership Fellows Program nurtures and develop young leaders who are positively impacting their communities. Graduating High School seniors who will be attending college in the Fall and who are members of a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada are eligible to apply. The program is competitive and only a few of all applicants are selected each year. The application process for this year’s Fellows cohort is now accepting applications. Full eligibility requirements, details, and instructions to apply can be found online at www.helmdisciples.org/apply.
Congratulations Lydia and Lauren!