The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) awarded three $1,000 scholarships to high school graduates to attend the college of their choice this fall. Caleb Claycamp will attend Iowa Western Community College; Cole Metcalfe will attend Emory University; and Kyle Thomas will attend the University of Virginia.
The scholarship award program is competitive in its selection criteria, uniquely tailored to recognize outstanding high school seniors. Scholarship recipients are selected by weighing a combination of academic performance, volunteer work and extracurricular activities.
"CVSA is proud to award college scholarships to these exceptional soon-to-be college freshmen as they embark on this new journey of advanced learning and development," said CVSA president Julius Debuschewitz of Yukon Highways and Public Works. "Based on their solid academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities and laudable volunteer work during their high school years, we have no doubt that these individuals are bound for excellence and we’re honored to help them along that path with a contribution toward their future."
Claycamp plans to major in criminal justice with a minor in fire science. His father, Fred Claycamp, works for the Iowa Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Enforcement Agency.
While in high school, Caleb participated in football, basketball, golf, band, speech, student council and the JETS Science team. He received a first team all-district award in football, he was an all-state performer in speech 12 out of 16 possible times and he was a member of the Spanish Honor Society. He contributed to his community through work as a volunteer firefighter, he was a GED math tutor, he participated in church food drives and Caleb was involved in Cherokee Community Theater. Caleb’s ultimate goal is to become a United States marshal with the Omaha Police Department.
Metcalfe will attend Emory University. He is the son of Bill Metcalfe of the South Carolina State Transport Police of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.
Metcalfe said he wants to become an orthopedic surgeon and start a non-profit organization that will donate new and used prosthetics to children in war-torn countries who have lost limbs due to senseless violence. In preparation for medical school, he plans to double-major in anthropology and human biology with a focus in pre-medical studies.
"Growing up, I’ve been surrounded by family members who have dealt with various musculoskeletal issues," said Metcalfe. "Since the field of orthopedics has been so personal to my family and I, I want to live a life of dedication to helping others who cannot help themselves."
Metcalfe was the first place 2016 and 2017 state winner in the clinical specialty category of the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), he was one of the top 35 international finalists in the HOSA clinical specialty category at the International Leadership Conference and he was the elected reporter of the River Bluff High School HOSA chapter. In the community, Cole volunteered more than 150 hours with Fort Jackson’s Child and Youth Services and was selected as a Lexington Medical Center Partner, a selective three-week summer internship that allows students to shadow medical professionals.
Thomas is the son of Sheldon Thomas of AmeriGas, a CVSA associate member company. As a student at Perkiomen Valley High School in Pennsylvania, he participated in student government, the varsity soccer team, the key club, national honors society, link crew and the medical science club. He is also a tutor at Faith and Hope Church of the Nazarene. Thomas said he plans to major in biology or biomedical studies at the University of Virginia.
The CVSA College Scholarship Award Program is dedicated to Gary E. Curtis. While working for the Virginia State Police, Curtis was an active member of CVSA and a cornerstone in the development of the roadside North American Standard Inspection Program. He came to CVSA in 1992, faithfully serving as the Alliance’s director of technical services. His efforts and contributions helped form the solid base on which CVSA now proudly stands upon. Curtis lost his life to cancer in December of 1998.
