The Federal Way Women’s Club honored a high school senior and local nonprofits during their May 17 luncheon at the Twin Lakes Golf and Country Club.

Samantha Bond, a Todd Beamer student, won the $1,000 Importance of Community Service scholarship, which was open to all high school seniors in Federal Way this school year.

As part of the ceremony, Bond spoke to the value of community service in her life for the Women’s Club.

Last summer, she spent a month volunteering for Christian youth organization YoungLife at the Washington Family Ranch in Oregon, serving 500+ campers and bussing tables for eight hours a day, seven days a week.

“I learned what it meant to be selfless, and have a servant’s heart,” Bond said. “I was able to serve the Lord as well. … Serving a workgroup created a community, one I never wanted to leave, which is why I’m excited to be doing another session this summer before college.”

She is also a mentor for Todd Beamer freshman, advising new students once per week.

Bond will put the award toward her educational pursuits at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, where she plans to study Forensic Science.

Through running start, she’d started taking classes at Highline Community College with the intention of pursuing nursing. But an Intro to Forensic Science class tuned her into the world of fingerprinting and identifying decomposition.

“Careers such as evidence technicians and crime scene investigators are very important for our community, as they help our law enforcement solve crimes to bring justice to a case,” she said.

The scholarship criteria focused on community service, education plans and leadership experience. Students needed to provide actual log sheets of their community service to be considered.

And “Samantha just hit all the boxes,” Varney said. “(She had) 230 hours of community service while maintaining honor roll. She had several letters of recommendation. … We had two or three others that were very close. It was very hard to pick.”

The Women’s Club of Federal Way also honored Care Giving Community Network, FUSION and the Federal Way Senior Center during the luncheon, awarding each organization a $1,000 donation to continue their community service for those in need.

This is the 50th anniversary of the Women’s Club, which was established in 1973. It is dedicated to fun, friendship and good stewardship of the community. Interested women can join the club at its monthly luncheons on the third Wednesday of each month, from September to May, at the Twin Lakes Golf and Country Club.