BY SCOTT SULLIVAN
EDITOR
No, Fennville’s Jennifer and Jessica Garcia, winners of this year’s $1,000 Mill Pond Realty “Follow Your Dreams” scholarships based on essays written, aren’t related.
Asked, they first said they were cousins, paused for interview flow, then agreed they were not related, that they know of.
Jennifer plans to use her stipend to study politics and economics at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Jessica to pursue a nursing degree at Michigan State University.
Jennifer, at Fennville High a band flutist and National Honor Society scholar, took part in the Upward Bound college prep program and has already started Calvin classes: Philosophy, English, Intro to Economics … first- semester core towards becoming, she hopes, an immigration lawyer.
Jessica, who wants to heal feeling nursery needs more diversity, is on her way in East Lansing planning to probe anthropology, women’s health, child-development and Spanish studies.
She is the daughter of Armando and Doracelia Garcia, Jessica of Gerardo and Brenda Garcia, all of Fennville.
Usually Mill pond founding broker Laura Durham — who dreamed of becoming a realtor like father, became licensed at 20, opened Mill Pond at 29 and continues, now with her daughter Melanie — awards one Saugatuck and one Fennville graduate yearly, but only Fennville students applied this year.
“Jennifer and Jessica wrote convincing essays,” said Durham.
“It’s a privilege to recognize and help passionate, hardworking students pursue their own dreams of serving others,” the Mill Pond owner said. “We are seeking students,” said Mill Pond’s request for essays, “who show passion, heart and a vision to follow your dreams.
“I started in business at age 20 and opened my own hometown real estate company when I was 29,” said Durham. “