OnPoint and OSAA have awarded $101,000 to 31 students since 2018
PORTLAND, Ore., June 14, 2024 — OnPoint Community Credit Union and the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) today announced six graduating seniors have won scholarships worth up to $10,000. The awards are part of the 2024 OnPoint Community Credit Union Scholar Program.
The program recognizes graduating Scholar Athletes and Activity Scholars from OSAA member schools with two $10,000 scholarships and four $5,000 scholarships. The two winners of the $10,000 scholarships are Nidhi Nair of Lake Oswego High School and Savannah White of Pleasant Hill High School.
The four winners of the $5,000 scholarships are Kale Bingaman of Imbler High School, Jillian Bremont of Redmond High School, Salahedin Safi of Reynolds High School and Linnea Naone of Glencoe High School. OnPoint received more than 450 applications from 164 OSAA member schools this year.
“We are honored to celebrate these six students who have demonstrated exceptional achievements in academics, sports and community service,” said Rob Stuart, President and Chief Executive Officer of OnPoint Community Credit Union. “Each of these winners has shown remarkable dedication, leadership and a commitment to making a positive impact. Their hard work and perseverance are truly inspiring, and we are proud to support them as they continue to pursue their dreams.”
OnPoint’s Scholar Program honors graduating Oregon high school seniors who have earned a 3.50 or higher unweighted cumulative grade point average and have earned a varsity letter in an OSAA-sanctioned sport or competed in an OSAA-sanctioned activity.
“Following a record number of applicants, we’re excited to honor these outstanding scholars for their tremendous achievements,” said Peter Weber, OSAA Executive Director. “We sincerely appreciate OnPoint’s continued commitment and financial support as we partner to recognize top high school seniors throughout Oregon.”
Winners of the 2024 OnPoint Community Credit Union Scholar Program:
$10,000 Scholarship Winners
Nidhi Nair of Lake Oswego High School, Lake Oswego Public Schools, is committed to making a positive impact in both her local community and beyond. Nair founded the Random Acts of Kindness Club and successfully implemented the program in two different schools, fostering a culture of compassion and empathy. She volunteers with Hunger Fighters, a nonprofit food pantry that provided essential items to over 13,000 guests in 2023 alone. Nair is also an active member of her school, serving as ASB Secretary and Editor-in-Chief for the school newspaper. She also participated in Lake Oswego’s We the People Constitutional Law team, which led her to compete in the Harlan Institute Supreme Court competition. In the classroom, Nair has been recognized as a National Speech and Debate Association Academic All-American, AP Scholar with Honors and a recipient of the Rotary Club Educational Excellence Award. Nair will continue to use her talents to pursue a degree in Political Science, with aspirations of a future career in law.
Savannah White of Pleasant Hill High School, Pleasant Hill Public Schools, has an extensive agricultural background and a deep-rooted passion for community engagement. While competing in volleyball and basketball, White dedicated over 500 hours of community service through her role as vice president of the Pleasant Hill Future Farmers of America (FFA), where she promoted leadership and agriculture beyond the classroom. Her exemplary contribution to the program earned her a State Degree at the 2023 FFA State Convention. She also participated on the Oregon High School Equestrian Team (OHSET), where she fostered teamwork and furthered her positive impact on the local community. White challenged herself with a rigorous academic course load, taking over seven Advanced Placement (AP) classes while also learning Chinese and Spanish to enrich her cultural understanding and broaden her global perspective. White will continue to pursue her interests in agriculture through a degree in forest engineering at Oregon State University.
$5,000 Scholarship Winners
Salahedin Safi of Reynolds High School, Reynolds Public Schools, is a driven and compassionate student-athlete, dedicated to inclusivity and academic excellence. When not competing in basketball or track and field, Safi developed an inclusive environment at Reynolds by creating the Muslim Student Association. As founder of the Muslim Student Association, Safi spearheaded initiatives to bridge the understanding between Muslim students and school faculty, fostering a culture of respect and acceptance. His effort and dedication to the Muslim Student Association led Safi to create a sustainable foundation for many future generations of students at Reynolds. Safi has maintained a 4.0 weighted GPA while enrolling in 11 college-level classes. Safi will be attending Portland State University with a major in civil engineering.
Jillian Bremont of Redmond High School, Redmond Public Schools, participated in soccer, basketball, track and field and cheerleading during her time at Redmond High School. Bremont uses her passion for sports to serve young members of the local community, coaching youth soccer and basketball teams and volunteering with the Redmond Swim programs and Unified Sports teams on campus. During the pandemic, she helped with the Redmond Cares program, gathering goods and household items for impacted families. Outside of the classroom and volunteer work, Bremont spends every morning before school helping at an early childcare program at a local elementary school while also juggling two jobs. Bremont earned a 4.346 weighted GPA and will graduate with 56 college credits.
Kale Bingaman of Imbler High School, Imbler Schools, is a multi-sport athlete, participating in football, basketball, and track and field during his time at La Grande. When not competing, Bingaman participates in many community improvement organizations, such as Future Farmers of America (FFA), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), National Honor Society (NHS), 4-H Club and the Community 101 Foundation for the State of Oregon. These organizations enabled Bingaman to help his local community by working at concession stands, hosting assemblies, washing cars, cleaning school grounds, organizing food drives and serving meals during community banquets. His dedication to Imbler led him to raise over $13,000 for a new digital communications board, which serves as one of La Grande’s primary methods of reaching community members. Bingaman maintained a 4.0 GPA while juggling many dual credit courses. Bingaman hopes to continue his education at Montana State University and major in agricultural business.
Linnea Naone of Glencoe High School, Hillsboro Public Schools, participated in basketball and track and field, and was captain of the Crimson Tide soccer and swimming teams. Through mentorship and volunteerism, Naone uses her passion for athletics as an avenue to give back to her community. She uses her background as a swimmer and lifeguard to mentor new lifeguards and give back at her local recreation centers. Naone is also a mentor for young students at a local Title 1 elementary school, where she helps guide and inspire future generations of student-athletes. She also volunteers at EveryBody Athletics, helping create an inclusive environment for disabled individuals to learn and thrive in athletics. Naone shows a high commitment to self-improvement, evidenced by her participation in track clubs during the off-season to develop her talents as an athlete. Naone maintained a 3.9 GPA while taking many AP classes. She has earned a spot on the track and field team at Seattle Pacific University and will major in health sciences.
All graduating seniors who participated in OSAA activities were eligible to apply for a scholarship. The Scholar Program is part of OnPoint’s partnership with OSAA as the title sponsor of the Oregon high school state championships.
OnPoint selected winners based on letters of recommendation and personal essays about their community leadership, classroom success and how participating in OSAA activities has helped them achieve their goals.
Visit onpointcu.com/community-giving to learn more about OnPoint’s support of local organizations like OSAA.
ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION
OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving over 563,000 members and with assets of $9.2 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union’s membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 28 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. OnPoint Community Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). More information is available at www.onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.
ABOUT THE OREGON SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) is a private non-profit, board-governed association comprised of 297 member high schools. A member of the National Federation of State High School Associations, the OSAA annually sponsors 124 teams and 440 individual state championships for students competing in 19 interscholastic activities. For more information, www.osaa.org or follow @OSAASports on social media.