CHHA Scholarship recipient, Sydney Trotto, is a nursing student at James Madison University. Sydney comes from a mid-Atlantic harness racing family and helps around
the barn when she is home. The scholarship committee was really impressed with her many mission and ministry activities.
Sydney says in her essay, “I was raised in the Methodist church, but it wasn’t until I went to Camp Highroad in the summer before fifth grade that my faith really took off. […] I had counselors that I looked up to and were role models for faith and daily living. I then started to be more involved in my church by going to youth group and Sunday School.
I went on spring break mission trips through my church in middle school and high school. I started participating in the local trips that provided services and physical labor in the Northern Virginia and D.C communities.
My senior year I was able to go on a weeklong trip to Bogue Chitto, Mississippi. We were immersed into the Chocraw Native American Reservation. We visited and did crafts with the elders, restored parts of the local church, and put on a vacation bible school for the children in the community.
Finally, before my senior year of high school I was invited on a two-week long trip to Swaziland, Africa. My Godmother has been helping with a special needs school for 12 years. She provided tools and information to better their education style. I was able to teach the younger blind class for a few days.”
I went to Camp Highroad every summer for seven years and then returned as a staff member. […] I am now able to run daily bible studies for the groups. I am grateful for the opportunities the camp has given me to grow in my faith. Especially as a staffer, I am able to see the Lord work through the kids and counselors.
The Gamma Phi Beta sorority provides endless opportunities to volunteer in the community. The Intervarsity Campus Ministry has grown my faith significantly. I am part of a small group that meets once a week. We get to relate to each other our struggles and rejoice with one another in our accomplishments. I have gotten very close with the girls and they constantly point me towards the Lord.