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ELKINS -- Elkins High School graduate Kendall Ann Flynn has been announced as the fifth recipient of the annual Austen Moore Scholarship.
The scholarship presentation was made at EHS. The following speech was part of the presentation:
"'Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.' These words by the 14th Dalai Lama could not be truer. Oxford defines kindness as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. This was an outstanding quality of Austen Moore.
"Austen, a 2009 graduate of Elkins High School who went on to graduate from West Virginia University, knew no stranger and was a friend to everyone he met.
"In 2019, Joann Gabel came up with the idea of a scholarship to honor his memory. From that point The Austen Moore Kindness Scholarship is awarded every year to a deserving Elkins High School senior planning on attending college. It is not based on academic standing or need. Just kindness!
"The senior is nominated by a fellow classmate, faculty, or staff member and instills the qualities of selflessness, kindness, friendliness and helpfulness."
Flynn was nominated for the scholarship by multiple people, as several nomination letters were submitted.
She plans to attend West Virginia University in the fall, and has been admitted to the WVU Honosr College. She will major in elementary education, and plans to become a teacher.
At EHS, Flynn was on the varsity tennis team, and was a drum major for the EHS band, and performed in the EHS jazz band and concert band. She was also in the National Honor Society, and was the school's Homecoming Queen.
A member of Summit Church in Elkins, Flynn is working this summer at Mountain Top Child Development Center.
Flynn's mother is Heidi Hawkins, while her father is Scott Flynn, and her stepfather is Kenny Hawkins.
Her brother, Ty Flynn, was the first EHS student to win the Austen Moore Scholarship, in 2019. Ty recently graduated from the WVU School of Nursing, and is now working at the WVU Children's Hospital
Austen Wesley Moore, who passed away at age 27, was an Elkins native and 2009 graduate of Elkins High School who is said to have exemplified kindness, care and compassion.
In his honor, the Austen Moore Kindness Scholarship was created. The EHS student selected for the scholarship does not need the highest GPA or best grades, but must be a beacon of kindness to students and the Elkins community.
People can still donate to the scholarship, at The Austen Moore Kindness Scholarship, 301 Davis Street, Elkins, West Virginia 26241.