Holly Best

Dear Radtke Family, Thank you so much for this honor and opportunity to be the 2025 winner of the Barbara Cain Literary Scholarship. It means so much that I was chosen to receive this award. I am honored to carry on Barbara Cain’s legacy through this scholarship. As the child of a single mother, I know that funding my college will not be easy. However, this award will help me tremendously in getting one step closer to my career goals. Your support will help to alleviate the financial challenges of furthering my education, and I am so very grateful. I am inspired by your mission of providing aid to those who wish to pursue a postsecondary education. Your mission to help those who have a passion for helping others and to inspire people to pursue their dreams is encouraging, and I hope to carry on this legacy through my education and future career. I am studying for a master’s degree in Library Science so that one day I can become a librarian. I have many ideas for advocating literacy as a librarian, and I know this award will help fund my education so I may learn as much as I can to be successful in my career. With hard work and your generous support, I know I can reach this goal. I can not thank you enough for your support of my education and would like you to know it means a lot to me. With sincere gratitude, Holly Best

Ashley Sparrow

Thank you so much for awarding me the Barbara Cain Literary Scholarship, Radtke Family! I am very grateful for your generous scholarship, that will help me achieve my academic dreams. I will be using these funds to help pay for my classes going forward in my education. I’m excited to one day be able to share the wonder of books to our future young minds. Thank you again! Love, Ashley

Annabelle Bentley

Thank you so much, Radtke Family! I am very grateful for the opportunities this scholarship will open for me in my academic future and career. I am glad my essay was well-received and was chosen to achieve this gracious award. I will use this award towards a secondary education to better myself and my community. Again, I would like to thank you, Radtke Family, for the Barbra Cain Literary Scholarship!

Annabel Brown

Dear Radtke Family, I am writing to let you know how much I appreciate being awarded the title of 'finalist' for the Barbara Cain Literary Scholarship. It means so much to me. It is a great honor to be called a finalist in a scholarship dedicated to someone like Barbara Cain. A woman with a passion, so clearly loved, inspires me to make a difference in my field and leave a lasting impact like she did. Books helped shape the person that I am today, and I have a deep understanding of her love for them, and an appreciation for her dedication to surrounding the community with them. It's people like her that made me who I am today. Thank you so much for your time and consideration, and for allowing me this honor. Sincerely, Annabel Brown

Isabelle Welch

As a finalist for this scholarship, I believe it will help me boost my self-confidence and help me grow in areas of my life. I appreciate being chosen as a finalist, and thank you.

Holly Best

Thank you so very much for choosing me as a finalist and considering me for this award. It means so much that you saw something in my essay, its potential, and its reflection of who I am. Thank you also for the opportunity to apply to this scholarship as well!