Young Achievers Scholarship 2025 Student Winner Spotlights

It’s that time of the year! The time of the year when our Young Achievers Scholarships are presented to the winners. We have selected three winners from around Western New York to represent those who have been awarded this gifted scholarship, and we want to spend some time showing off why they’ve earned it and what they will bring to their college education. We will also highlight some of the winners' experiences in video, as we have in the last few years, so stay tuned and be sure to follow us on social media!

In this blog, we will reflect on their academic accomplishments and the character they demonstrate in their scholarship application. 

Evan Iversen – Akron Central High School

The first student we want to highlight is Evan Iverson from Akron Central High School. Here’s what our leadership had to say about Evan!

“Evan’s curiosity about how science and technology improve lives led him to explore radiology through a National History Day project on the discovery of X-rays—an experience that sparked his goal of becoming an Interventional Radiologist. With both parents working in the medical field, he’s grown up seeing firsthand how healthcare professionals make a difference. Evan hopes to begin his journey at the University at Buffalo before pursuing medical school, residency, and fellowship training. He recognizes the cost and commitment ahead, but has already taken initiative by seeking scholarships to help fund his education and future in medicine.”

Our statement regarding Evan winning the scholarship is best outlined in the first several words. Evan’s curiosity is what we look for when choosing our winners for this scholarship, and, most importantly, because he wants to do great things with it. Taking the initiative to be curious will also lead to other skills developing, like taking on leadership roles. Saving and improving lives through exploring radiology is a role that requires leaders like Evan!

We also recognize a sense of preparation in Evan, not just through his great personality, but also in what his education at the University of Buffalo will be like for him. When identifying who the best students are, we look for someone to bring forth a great level of enthusiasm. Even though Evan knows that the commitment will be a lot, he’s still taking it head-on with positivity, and that’s a great sign!

Gryson Bae – Williamsville East High School

Our next student is Gryson Bae from Williamsville East High School, and here’s what our selection committee thought about Gryson!

“A gifted violinist and aspiring neuroscientist, Gryson has found a unique intersection between music and science. His research on how music influences brain function—particularly its connection to the SNCA gene and Parkinson’s disease—has been featured in the Terra STEM Fair and Interdisciplinary Cerebrovascular Symposium. Gryson plans to pursue neuroscience and music performance at Princeton or Northwestern, where he can continue exploring how melody and medicine connect. Dedicated and forward-thinking, he’s already preparing for the financial challenges of college through scholarships and part-time work, determined to make his passion his profession.”

Just like with Evan, Gyrson represents a sense of enthusiasm and dedication that everyone loves to see. With where the economy is at in today’s climate, taking on financial challenges is one of, if not the most difficult, challenges to tackle in college. Taking on part-time work along with two different pieces of education is no easy task, but Gryson loves a challenge, and we love that!

Gryson’s ability to show a well-rounded profile of work and multitask is a great aspect of scholarship eligibility. It demonstrates initiative, leadership, and an ability to manage your time well, which is something every college student learns about, but only so many can manage it well enough and find great success. We believe that Gryson represents one of the few who will find that success!

Amelia Houseman – West Seneca West Senior High School

Finally, we have our third winner, Amelia Houseman from West Seneca West Senior High School, and here’s what Jeff, Kayla, and AJ had to say about her!

“Amelia has known from a young age that she wants to teach, inspired by the educators who helped shape her love of learning. Her dream is to become a Social Studies teacher while continuing her lifelong passion for dance—a combination she hopes to achieve through programs at SUNY Brockport or SUNY Fredonia. With a 101 GPA and involvement in musicals, color guard, and recitals, Amelia’s enthusiasm for education and the arts shines through. She is determined to fund her college journey through scholarships and hard work, demonstrating maturity, drive, and an unwavering commitment to inspiring others.” 

We always enjoy hearing stories about students who know what they love at a young age. Young minds inspire curiosity to develop even more as you grow older that by the time you write a great scholarship application like Amelia did, you are chosen as one of its winners. 

Ameilia demonstrates a presence in many other extracurricular activities and shows great excitement about being part of it all. These are qualities we want to see in all of our winners. Evan, Gryson, and Amelia are 2025’s winners of the Young Achievers Scholarship for this reason. Congratulations!

Applications for the 2026 scholarship will open up in January, but be sure to go over to our past winners page to see some of our previous years' winners! Stay tuned and follow us on social media for more updates on this year’s winners! If you need a hand with FAFSA, NYS TAP, or CSS profile, we can help! Drop us a line on our FAFSA page to get in touch with our college planning team today!