Throughout her high school career, Miriam Bingham stayed active. She played volleyball and tennis, sat on student council, participated in student senate and Youth in Government, sang in the chorus and played cello in the orchestra.
On top of school activities, Bingham used her free time to give back to her community, volunteering at the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and working with children at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church. She also worked as a site counselor at Y Safe Places and a program assistant with Mott Community College’s Teen CEO Initiative.
But Bingham knows the power of taking initiative. When she was in sixth grade, Bingham created a website that her classmates could access to play various learning games. At the age of 14, she joined the Teen CEO Initiative and started a web design business. And last year, Bingham worked tutoring elementary students.
Her dedication to her community, entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to her education led Bingham to be selected at the recipient of a scholarship from the Katharine Roat Stevens Scholarship Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. The scholarship is managed by the Genesee Chamber Foundation, a supporting organization of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce.
“The scholarship committee felt that Miriam was the perfect candidate for the award, which aims to support young women with big dreams in Genesee County,” says James Avery, director of Education & Training at the Flint & Genesee Chamber. “She has an entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to her community, and we are proud to help her move closer to her goals.”
Bingham, who is entering her freshman year at Michigan State University studying political science and public policy, hopes to use her education to support children in Flint & Genesee County.
“Working with kids through the YMCA has given me a new perspective of the disparities in our education system,” says Bingham. “I want to be able to come back and provide support and outreach for the children in my community.”
She also mentions that she is privileged to have the opportunity to continue her education and appreciates the opportunity that the scholarship provides to help fund her journey.
The Katharine Roat Stevens Scholarship Fund provides scholarships for young women who are graduating seniors from a Genesee County high school, including public, private, charter, alternative and home school. Applicants should have entrepreneurial aspirations, a 2.5 GPA, documented 40 hours of community service and experience in leadership roles in or out of school. Scholarship applications, available at www.cfgf.org, are due by March 31, 2020.