2020 Scholarship Winner Kerith Spake

Published on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Community

From cheerleading to leathercraft, Venture Crew to pageantry, Kerith Spake has participated in a wide variety of activities throughout her childhood. “I love new experiences and trying anything and everything. My activities have taught me how to manage my time and how to be a leader and role model. Venture Crew made me more outgoing and I’m so grateful for that.”

The daughter of Melissa and Darren Bettinger, she graduated from Edwardsburg High School and heads to the University of Toledo to study medical technology and pre-medicine. “I love helping people and look forward to pursuing a degree in which I can make a difference.”

As Miss Cassopolis 2019, she spent months serving the local community and being a role model for local youth. She also noted that “I hope I redefined people’s expectations of what a pageant queen can be. I wasn’t afraid to pull my hair back and climb a rock wall while I was wearing my crown. I hope that, as a result, I inspired others to look at the roll a little differently.”

She was a member of the National Honor Society and the Mechanicsburg 4-H where she earned Best of Show for photography and leathercraft. “I got into working with leather from my venture crew coach. It’s been a lot of fun and takes a lot of practice,” she noted and has made various gifts for people including pictures, knife pockets, belts and even a three-legged stool.

As part of the scholarship application, we asked students to submit a video time capsule that they would open in 10 years. Selection for the scholarship was based on the video along with
academic performance and other achievements. Here is Kerith's video: