By Danny Tseng '04

Tiffany Franke '02 is one of 100 high school seniors nationwide chosen to be a Toyota Community Scholar. She will be given a $10,000 scholarship over the span of her four-year college education.

Toyota established the award six years ago to commend students on their community service and academic accomplishments. As Deerfield's sole candidate, Franke entered into a pool of more than 11,000 applicants, only 1% of whom won the award. The award process was reviewed by the Educational Testing Service Board of Princeton, New Jersey.

In her application Franke talked about her family, academics and her community service involvements, focusing on her past summer project teaching children in a local hospital about other countries. Franke's project was funded by Deerfield's Workman summer community service grants.

The 100 winners represent 43 states, but Franke is the only winner from a New England boarding school. Many of the winners are first in their class and 20 of the 100 are to attend Harvard next fall.

The scholars went to Louisville, Kentucky, from May 9-11 to participate in a full weekend of activities with an awards ceremony at the end. Franke enjoyed a dinner and dance cruise down the Ohio River, a tour of the 172-acre Toyota plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, and a trip to Churchill Downs to watch a horse race where the Kentucky Derby is held.

Among the 100 regional winers, 12 were chosen as national winners, among whom was a boy who has found a cure for ovarian cancer in the black walnut, and a girl who has spoken with Colin Powell.

Franke said, "Their warmth, compassion and dedication towards helping fellow man was incredible. I was impressed at how humble and kind they all were. Truly inspirational!"

The scholars were named in an article in USA Today on Friday, May 10, over which read "If they are the future, it looks very bright indeed."

Franke is planning on taking a year off before attending Yale University, where she hopes to pursue more of her community service goals.

As published in the May 22, 2002 issue of the Deerfield Scroll, the monthly newspaper of Deerfield Academy.