For DonorsFor Applicants

Sara Chaiton Scholarship for Resilient Women

$500
1 winner$500
Awarded
Application Deadline
Aug 25, 2024
Winners Announced
Sep 25, 2024
Education Level
Any
Recent Bold.org scholarship winners
Eligibility Requirements
Education Level:
High school senior, undergraudate, or graduate student
Gender:
Female-identifying
Identity:
Jewish

Sara Chaiton was a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who embodied resilience and strength throughout her life.

Sara was a Holocaust survivor whose life was torn apart by the Nazis when she was just 15 years old. After losing most of her family and community, Sara was able to emigrate to Canada and returned to high school in her 50s. 

This scholarship aims to honor the incredible life of Sara Chaiton by supporting Jewish students who have been impacted by the loss of a loved one.

Any Jewish, female student who is a high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student whose education was changed or temporarily halted by the loss of an immediate relative may apply for this scholarship. We welcome the applications of working and/or low-income students in particular.

To apply, tell us about the person you lost, how they impacted you, and what has helped you persevere to continue your education.

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Drive, Impact
Published December 27, 2023
Essay Topic

Tell us about the person you lost and how they changed you as a person. What has contributed to your resilience in continuing with your education?

400–600 words

Winners and Finalists

September 2024

September 2023

Finalists
Taylor glazer
Alexa Cohen
Rachel Swensen
Mia Young
Sarah Shein
Taylor B
Renata Chaves
Abigail Baker
Jadyn Fox
Hannah Niznik
Lillianna Libowitz
Sarah Gerber
Malka Heidingsfeld
Sofia Sanchez
Mollie Silver
Nicole Hirsh
Lindsay Jaffe
Bonnie Lerman
Allison Fahrbach
gillian ramirez
Layne Dodge
Aliza A
Eliana Rubin
Gianna Cozzoli
Diana Leviyeva
Rebekkah Hallgren
JHYSABEL MIRABEL
Miriam Marczewski
Rose Snyder
Melissa Cignatta
Patricia Gadir
Lyon Naumann
Mira Benson
Gracelyn Boyle
Chloe Kirshbaum
Asya Litvak
Jordyn Grand
Naomi Bashan
Killian Serrano
Ashley Affleck
sydney glaberson
Lea Gruen
Elizabeth Doyle
Sarah Trout
Bari Siegall
Tova Tanzer
courtney grant
Willow Wilde
Leah Inoyatov
Susannah Waksberg
Avery Ehlers
Anna Ioffe
Violet Uvaydova
Sarah Murray
Hannah Tucker

Winning Application

Leslie Fournier
Sarah Lawrence CollegeYonkers, NY
Losing a parent is never something that someone can be ready for. When it happens before reaching adulthood though, it's truly terrible, even when you know it's coming sooner than you could've ever imagined. My dad was kind, caring, supportive, and anything anyone could ever ask for in a parent. He wasn't a stay-at-home dad, but he's the one in my family who did more of the cooking, and he was home more because his job was less demanding than my mom's. I never realized how much he shaped my view of gender roles, compared to society as a whole. While I got more of my personality from my mom (specifically being a perfectionist, and developing severe anxiety as a result), he was the one who tried to help me find balance in my life. He was the one who tried to make sure that I made time for having fun, and tried to help me understand that it's okay to not be perfect. Even while he was fighting cancer, he was still doing his utmost to make sure my siblings and I were doing as well as we could be given the circumstances. After he died, I was struggling. Not only was I missing my dad for obvious reasons, but without my dad I had trouble maintaining balance in my life again. The only way I felt able to function was by ignoring everything I was feeling and distracting myself, usually in the form of studying. At the time, this didn't seem like a problem to me, because I wanted to go to medical school to help people like my dad, and I needed good grades to get there. Plus, I still wanted to make my dad proud, so I pushed forward. Eventually the consequences of trying to suppress my grief hit me; my grades took a hit, and I went into a downwards spiral. What eventually brought me out of it was finally trying to channel all that my dad had tried to teach me, and finding a way to bring back balance. I stopped overloading my schedule, and started going to the gym. I started spending more time with my friends outside the classroom setting. And eventually, I got into graduate school, and these skills are keeping me sane in such a stressful environment. I had wanted to pursue medical school initially because of my love of biology, and wanting to help people like my dad. Particularly, I wanted to be able to explain all the medical jargon in a way that patients without science backgrounds (like my dad) would be able to understand, so they could make more informed decisions regarding their health. However, after gaining more experience through volunteering in hospitals, I realized that while an admirable goal, it would be difficult given how overwhelmed the medical system is at this time. I eventually learned about genetic counseling, where appointments are structured in a way that you truly have the time to explain concepts to patients. That's what I am now studying in graduate school. When I'm not in class or doing my rotations, I'm working to fund my education. While at school I work as an administrative assistant, but when visiting my hometown I try to pick up overnight shifts as a patient transporter, in the hospital where my dad passed away. Sometimes it's really difficult to be working there, but in way it helps me continue feeling connected to my dad, and it reminds me of why I'm working so hard to one day have a career helping people like him.
Hayley Rein
University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Aug 25, 2024. Winners will be announced on Sep 25, 2024.

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