United Way Pembina Valley recently announced its 2026 youth scholarship winners.
The agency distributes three $1,000 scholarships annually to a graduate from each Morden and Winkler high school, recognizing students who have demonstrated social awareness and leadership through volunteer service and involvement in the community.
“Our scholarship committee was impressed by all of the scholarship applications. The 2026 graduating class has demonstrated a commitment to learning and to volunteering,” said United Way representative Nicole Hiebert. “The scholarship winners have demonstrated their academic ability, leadership, and hours of volunteering throughout their high school years.”
Here are this year’s recipients:
Nolan Lepp,
Garden Valley Collegiate.
Lepp’s community involvements include student council, Winkler Bible Camp, Pembina Valley Bible Camp, a GVC food drive, the Holiday Home business, and annual missions trips.
Lepp intends to study at Steinbach Bible College and then the University of Manitoba as he works towards becoming an accountant.
“It means a lot to be recognized by the community,” said Lepp. “It is encouraging.”
It also means a lot to him to give back to the community.
“When I first got involved with camp, it was just like this is fun. Let’s just keep going with the transition here from camper into a cabin leader. And then I realized that I’m actually helping people, and it just goes on from there, and the community that you build with other people that are also helping also really, really boosts you, drives you forward.
“It’s just helping the community that’s helped me.”
Oluwatomisin Adeniyi,
Morden Collegiate
Adeniyi’s volunteer involvements include working as an educational assistant at École Morden Middle School, at the Hope Thrift Store, as a basketball referee, as a food server at All Nations Church, student council, and Youth in Philanthropy.
Adeniyi will pursue post-secondary education at the University of Manitoba with plans to become a veterinary doctor or go into animal research.
“It means a lot to me. It’s an opportunity that I know most people don’t usually get, and I’m very grateful that I got it because I didn’t expect to get it,” said Adeniyi. of the scholarship “I’m just really thankful.
“What inspires me the most is getting to meet new people and the experience itself,” she added.”With all the volunteering I did, I got to new people, and I got to make new memories, and it was another addition to my life and my story.”
Rudra Patel,
Northlands Parkway Collegiate
Patel’s involvements include coaching U13 boys with the Winkler Amateur Soccer Association (WASA), Youth in Philanthropy, and volunteering as a soccer referee for middle school sports and the WASA.
“Volunteering gave me the opportunity to make a positive impact on younger players both on and off the field,” Patel shared in his application. “One of the biggest impacts I feel I had was being a role model for younger players. This experience taught me valuable lessons like leadership and responsibility.”
Patel will be studying dentistry at the University of Toronto this fall.
