Elks National Foundation Blog

Kylie Lan Tumiatti
2014 Most Valuable Student Scholar
Seton Hall University — Diplomacy and International Relations

Sponsored by Melbourne, Fla., Lodge No. 1744

Adopted as an infant from a Chinese orphanage, Kylie Lan Tumiatti has overcome many obstacles to become a passionate and driven individual. Though she spent years recovering from her first few months, Kylie never let it hold her back. She became involved in community service early on.

In high school, she combined her love of reading and knowledge of the difficulties of learning English as a second language into a unique community service project. She partnered with a local nonprofit to create a literacy program for the children of migrant workers. Over the past six years, Kylie has raised funds, created activities and plays to help students learn, and recorded stories so students could practice at home with their families. She continues to use technology to aid in English knowledge and plans to expand the program even further. 

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Clayton, N.J., Lodge No. 2132 What are you doing this Friday? Elks from Clayton, N.J., Lodge No. 2132 will be dancing the night away!

Using its Elks National Foundation Promise Grant, Clayton Elks held a dinner and dance party for the
Friday Fanatics—a group of local teens with disabilities.

“One of the project’s successes is seeing the opportunity for the children to enjoy a wonderful dinner and party,” says CIP Project Manager Bill Oakley. “Without the Elks, this party would not be possible.”


Elks are committed to America’s future. To build the character and competence of local youth, the Elks National Foundation awards $2,000 Promise Grants to the first 500 Lodges that pledge to host an eligible youth event. To find out more about Promise Grants and the Community Investments Program, visit www.elks.org/enf/community.

By 2014 Legacy Awards Recipient and Elks Scholar Advisory Board Member Anji Radakrishnan
Anji Radakrishnan, 2014 Legacy scholar and freshmen representative on the Elks Scholar Advisory Board, is giving us a glimpse into life as a college freshmen. Join her each month as she blogs about her exciting new challenges and experiences at Penn State. 

Hi everyone! The last few weeks between Thanksgiving break and Winter Break were mostly centered on studying for finals. Studying for finals in college and high school are two completely different ballgames. In high school, I would stay at home and make my own study guides, maybe occasionally study with a friend over the phone. In college, I’ve never seen as many of my friends grouped in one place as during finals week. Whether I went to the study lounge, library, or even dining hall, there were swarms of people loudly engaging in group study. It was really the first time that I started studying in a group setting, and I learned how useful it ac…

Katharine Bryan
2014 Most Valuable Student Scholar
University of Rhode Island—Civil Engineering and German

Sponsored by Sierra Vista, Ariz., Lodge No. 2065

Like her fellow Elks scholars, Katharine Bryan takes advantage of opportunities presented to her, using them to better herself and her community.

In high school, Katharine took advantage of numerous leadership opportunities, such as being Class President, present of her school’s academic team, captain of the tennis team, as well as state president of financial for the Arizona chapter of Future Business Leaders of America.

Besides gaining public speaking and teamwork skills, Katharine also made a positive difference with her involvement. She led a community service project to benefit the local animal shelter, including building maintenance, animal care, fundraising, and advocacy. Her project was recognized nationally at the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference.

As she adjusts to the colder temperatures of R…

Shawon Huang   
2014 Most Valuable Student Scholar
University of Southern California—Business Administration Major

Sponsored by Santa Ana, Calif., Lodge No. 794

Shawon Huang knows the meaning of loyalty, dedication and patriotism.

Besides being involved in marching band and community service, Shawon has dedicated much of his time to the Infantry Explorers, a group that prepares interested young men and women for careers in the Armed Forces. He served as both founder and a team leader in multiple battalions. He also founded and led his high school’s JROTC program, preparing both him and others to serve their country.

“Infantry Explorers has allowed me not only to improve myself but improve others as well,” says Shawon.

Shawon hopes his civilian and military education will enable him to become an effective and influential leader. After college, he plans to become a military officer in the U.S. Army, utilizing his years of training and hard work throughout high school and college.

“Being an …