Scholarships Aid Foster Children

When 17-year old Danny Darwiche was killed in a car accident in April, fellow students at Thousand Oaks High School turned his death into a reason to help others.

Danny was an officer in the school’s Key Club, and had taken an interest, along with other club members, in the struggles of foster children when they turn 18 and are forced to fend for themselves.

So when the high school junior was killed, club members decided to help foster care youngsters with scholarships in his name.

With the support of students, parents and teachers, the club raised $2,000 in two weeks last school year.

“Being able to put together something so wonderful gave us the drive to pull ourselves together after the death of our friend,” Key Club President Anushka Ratanayake said.

To qualify for the scholarships, the teenagers had to write an essay on how the scholarship would help them achieve a life goal. Some students wrote about how college would improve their lives. Others wrote that they would continue Danny’s dream of going to college.

James McBride received a $1,000 scholarship, the largest of four given out last month. McBride graduated from high school two years ago and is moving to Oakland with his wife, where he will attend UC Berkeley as a junior in the fall.

A $500 scholarship was given to Chris Kimmel, 17, who will attend Moorpark College in the fall.

Jonathan Floyd and Nick Thom, both 17, were awarded $250 scholarships. Both have secured jobs with GTE.

“Danny’s memory is living through these kind kids that we see every day,” said Danny’s father, Kamal Darwiche.