FARMINGTON – Two students at Mt. Blue High School were recently awarded the Jamie Beth Shible Memorial Scholarship, honoring the life of Jamie Beth while at the same time giving the students a leg up on their higher education journey.
Jamie Beth, a Mt. Blue High School junior and active participant in the school’s cheerleader program, died suddenly on Memorial Day in 1997, days prior to the end of her junior year. A scholarship was created in her memory, providing funds to senior members of the cheering team that display “leadership, energy and enthusiasm” in school and while performing routines.
Best friends Autumn Conklin and Lauren Gould are the 34th and 35th recipients of the scholarship, now in its 22nd year of giving.
“You two are what’s right about the world. You are the mirror image of what Jamie would have been looking for for this scholarship,” Jamie Beth’s father Steve Shible said.
Steve and Julie Shible presented the awards to the girls at a short ceremony on Friday afternoon. Each student received a $500 scholarship toward their higher education path, along with flowers and their names on a plaque that hangs on the Mt. Blue Campus. Conklin and Gould, best friends since birth, plan to attend cosmetology school together in the fall.
This particular year of awarding was a significant one, Steve noted, due to the fact that Conklin’s mother, Amber Wilkins, also won the award in 1999, and Gould’s mother, long time Cheerleading coach Holly Harrington, is retiring.
“This is what it’s all about. This is why we continue to do it, especially when we start getting into this second generation stuff,” Steve said.
Harrington coached Jamie Beth when she was a cheerleader at Mt. Blue, and watched, tearfully, as her daughter received the award.
“You turned my daughter into a young lady. You go so far above and beyond just being a coach in this district,” Steve said to Harrington as he presented her with a bouquet of flowers. “You’ve made an impact on my whole family.”
Steve and Julie,
It truly is an honor for Lauren to be a recipient of this award. Your support over the years to me and the sport of cheerleading has been amazing! Each year, I share with the cheerleading team about Jamie and how she pushed through no matter what she was facing. Jamie had determination, she had spunk, she had tons of energy, and made everyone laugh. She could brighten anyone’s day, even on days she wasn’t feeling well. She had a huge heart! I wish she could have been in this world a lot longer than she was here for. She is an amazing guardian angel to many young ladies. I truly feel she is Mt. Blue’s “Cheer Guardian Angel”. Jamie will always be in my heart. Her legacy will live on forever through me, the one’s she cheered with and anyone that knew her. She has touched the lives of many. I love you guys.
Congratulations Girls! This article choked me up and also makes me smile.