2013 Norm Manly YMTA Maritime Educational Scholarships and Pacific Maritime Magazine Scholarship Awarded to Six Students

The ninth annual Norm Manly Youth Maritime Training Association (YMTA) Maritime Educational Scholarship competition was held on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at Compass Course Maritime Training. YMTA is very proud to announce the six Washington State High School seniors awarded the 2013 YMTA and Pacific Maritime Magazine Scholarships.

Caption for the picture, “Recipients of the 2012 Norm Manly YMTA Maritime Educational Scholarship are (left to right): Kevin Hughes from Port Townsend High School ($500 sponsored by John and Anita Crawford), Becky Shelton from Roosevelt High School ($2,000 sponsored by Ocean Peace, Inc.),  Iryna Serhiychuk from Mariner High School in Everett ($1,000 sponsored by Ocean Peace, Inc.) Mallory Suggs from Ocean Research College Academy at Everett Community College and Monroe High School ($5,000 sponsored by theSeattle/Pacific Northwest Chapter of Council of American Master Mariners), Stefan Sorensen from Ocean Research College Academy at Everett Community College and Lake Stevens High School ($3,000 sponsored by Foss Maritime Company and $500 Pacific Maritime Magazine Scholarship sponsored by RH Philips Publishing Group),  Alec Bittner from Skyview High School in Vancouver, Washington ($1,000 sponsored by Compass Courses Maritime Training).

Mallory Suggs is an honor student at Monroe High School and the Ocean Research College Academy, a Running Start program at Everett Community College. She is the recipient of our $5,000 scholarship sponsored by theSeattle/Pacific Northwest Chapter of Council of American Master Mariners. The marine research opportunities she experienced at ORCA convinced her to pursue a career in marine biology. She also has the goal of achieving an advanced degree in marine science. Upon graduation from ORCA, she will attend Western Washington University.

Stefan Sorensen is an outstanding student from Lake Stevens High School and Ocean Research College Academy. He is the recipient of our $3,000 Scholarship sponsored by Foss Maritime Co and the $500 Pacific Maritime Magazine sponsored by RH Philips Publishing Group. He currently works on the Hat Island Ferry Hat Express and was recently promoted to First Mate where he played an active role in their annual Coast Guard inspection. Upon graduation from ORCA he will enter California Maritime Academy to major in Marine Transportation with the goal of being the captain of a larger ferry or an ocean-going tug.

Becky Shelton was awarded our $2,000 scholarship sponsored by Ocean Peace, Inc. She is an honor student at Roosevelt High School in Seattle.Becky discovered her passion for marine conservation while serving as a student volunteer at the Seattle Aquarium. Becky will enter the University of Puget Sound in the fall majoring in marine biology.

Alec Bittner is an honor student at the Skyview High School in Vancouver, Washington and was awarded our $1,000 scholarship sponsored by Compass Courses Maritime Training. His interest in a seagoing career was inspired by ferry rides in Puget Sound during family vacations. When he learned about California Maritime Academy, his career path was set.  He will attend Cal Maritime in the fall majoring in Marine Transportation.

Iryna Serhiychuk, an honor student from Mariner High School in Everett, is the recipient of our $1,000 scholarship sponsored by Ocean Peace, Inc. Since her early youth she has been intrigued by working at sea as well as being a medical caregiver.  Her career goal is to be registered nurse spending part of her time sailing across our oceans in the medical department of cruise ships. She will begin this career journey of a maritime nurse this fall at University of Washington Bothell.

Kevin Hughes from Port Townsend High School is the recipient of our $500 scholarship sponsored by John and Anita Crawford (retired from Foss Maritime Co). Kevin, also an honor student, has enjoyed boating and sailing with his family though out his life time. Through the partnership of Port Townsend Schools with the Northwest Maritime Center, he participated in many of Center’s maritime programs. He has also traveled throughout Europe and was a foreign exchange student in Austria. These experiences have directed him to a career in the maritime industry and to California Maritime Academy where he will major in Marine Transportation starting in the fall.

All six recipients have demonstrated strong leader skills and are model students with a passion for working on boats and marine sciences. Each student gave a talk in front of a panel of judges from the maritime community, our Scholarship Committee, teachers, and family members. Their presentations addressed “Charting a Maritime Career” and provided a window of the pathway to their future marine careers.

We thank RH Philips Publishing Group for offering the $500 Pacific Maritime Magazine Scholarship, Seattle/Pacific Northwest Chapter of Council of American Master Mariners for sponsoring our $5,000 scholarship, Foss Maritime Company for sponsoring our $3,000 scholarship, Compass Courses Maritime Training for sponsoring one of our $1,000 scholarships,Ocean Peace, Inc. for sponsoring the $2,000 and $1,000 scholarships, andJohn and Anita Crawford for sponsoring our $500 scholarship.  We thank CAPT John Clary from NOAA, CAPT Kevin Coulombe from CAMM and Maersk Line, CAPT Michael Heys from Compass Courses Maritime Training, and Lyn McClelland from Coast Guard Auxiliary for serving on our Panel of Judges. We also thank Compass Courses Maritime Training for hosting the final event of our Scholarship competition. YMTA has enjoyed financial support from a broad mix of maritime businesses and members of the public. We thank them for their continued support of our efforts to encourage students to explore the diverse career opportunities that exist through out the maritime industry.

The Youth Maritime Training Association is a non-profit organization chartered under Washington State law in 1996. YMTA was formed by representatives of maritime employers, labor organizations and the education community to serve the youth of Washington State by expanding their awareness of the career opportunities available in the marine trades and professions, and to facilitate training and education opportunities for them. YMTA supports students pursuing a wide-range of marine-related training or education. YMTA is governed by an elected Board of Executive Directors and Advisory Boards with representatives from all sectors of the maritime community (private industry, government agencies, nonprofits, and higher education), all serving as volunteers