FTHS Graduate Awarded Sharing Network Scholarship

A member of the Franklin High School Class of 2023 is one of 10 recent graduates awarded scholarships for their work in promoting organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

The awards were presented by the Sharing Network Foundation. The scholarships are funded by four funds:

• Hearts for Emma Partner Fund – created in celebration of Emma Rothman’s life-saving heart transplant to support high school education and donation advocacy efforts.

• Jim Rhatican Scholarship Fund – created in memory of Jim Rhatican, a NJ Sharing Network Volunteer, liver transplant recipient and retired teacher and coach of 35 years.

• Missy’s Miracle Scholarship Fund – created in celebration of the 30^th Anniversary of Missy Rodriguez’s life-saving liver transplant to follow her passion as a college counselor through scholarships for high school students.

• Riley’s Path – created in memory of organ donor Riley Kogen to provide financial assistance to transplant patients in times of crisis, and to award scholarships to high school students and advocacy heroes.

FTHS graduate Charbel Harchem received a scholarship from Riley’s Path.

According to the Foundation’s release about the awards, “Charbel will never forget the many times that he and his family rushed to the hospital to visit his father during his battle with cancer. After many surgeries and procedures, the only hope for Charbel’s father was an organ transplant. One of their family members donated part of their liver and pancreas to save his life. This inspired Charbel to help educate his classmates about the importance of registering as an organ and tissue donor. He also began volunteering with the American Red Cross to support local communities. Charbel plans to attend Concordia University in Canada in the fall.”

In the release, Harchem said, “It is my ambition to one day work in a hospital, performing the very same innovative surgeries that saved my father.”

The Sharing Network Foundation’s scholarship program provides an opportunity to recognize and award graduating high school seniors whose lives have been touched by organ and tissue donation and transplantation, according to the release.

Applicants were measured on academic achievement, community and volunteer efforts, extracurricular activities and advocacy for organ and tissue donation, according to the release. Since the scholarship program’s inception in 2011, more than $120,000 has been awarded to 55 dedicated student advocates.

“We are grateful for the generous support of our partner funds and their ongoing commitment to rewarding students who share a commitment to our life-saving mission,” Amanda Tibok, Executive Director of the Sharing Network Foundation, said in the release. “We know that all of our scholarship awardees will continue as strong leaders educating others about donation and transplantation throughout their college years and beyond.”

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