MIHS Senior Le’Asia Lane Awarded $5,000 Scholarship From Toys For Kids

(Left to right: Rick Rizzs, Le'Asia Lane, Trent Henderson, Brett Alston, Nancy Henderson)

Mercer Island, WA, October 2, 2024 – Mercer Island High School senior Le’Asia Lane was awarded a Toys for Kids $5,000 Hendu Scholarships by Seattle Mariners play-by-play voice Rick Rizzs this morning at the high school.

Toys for Kids $5,000 college scholarship was established to honor the legacy of former Seattle Mariner Dave Henderson, who believed in upholding high standards and a commitment to the community. This scholarship recognizes exceptional high school seniors who reflect these values and have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to service in their communities.

“It’s something that I have really been hoping for and wishing for,” said Lane. “It’s insane to me that out of 100 different people that I was able to get this and have this opportunity, especially for four years.”

“This is so rewarding,” said Rizzs. “We get a chance to jump start a student’s educational career, to move on, not only to go to college, but maybe go to the college that they really want to go to.”

Toys for Kids Chairman Brett Alston, who is the Managing Partner at RedCloud Consulting, told Le’Asia during the ceremony in the MIHS Counseling Center the college or university scholarship is $5,000 a year for four years.

“Providing an opportunity for youth in our community to excel and create new pathways forwards is really inspiring,” said Alston. “It’s what lights us up every day. We look forward to this.”

Le’Asia said she hopes to study either art, psychology, or environmental science in college.

To be considered for the scholarship Le’Asia submitted a 250 to 300 word essay answering the question “How does continuing your education make you smile every day?”. Le’Asia is one of 13 students in Washington who received a Hendu Scholarship this year.

Listen to Rizzs talk about the history of Toys For Kids

Rizzs is the president and co-founder with Henderson of Toys for Kids.

Henderson’s wife Nancy and son Trent, who is the Vice Chairman of Toys for Kids, were also at MIHS this morning and took part in the check presentation to Le’Asia.

Through this scholarship, Toys for Kids hopes to inspire future generations to follow in Dave’s footsteps and make a difference in their communities.

The Toys for Kids scholarship is unique in that it rewards not only academic achievement but also community involvement and leadership skills. The scholarship aims to help the recipients pursue their academic dreams and make a positive impact on the world.

Toys for Kids is dedicated to making sure children and families who are less fortunate know that they are not forgotten. Through donations, Toys for Kids is able to directly benefit children in need throughout the state of Washington. With seven different programs, including Back-to-School, FLY, Holiday Parties, Hot Lunch, Hendu Scholarship, Rick’s Locker, and Teddy Bear program, Toys for Kids is able to serve more than 50,000 kids in Washington throughout the year.

The Toys for Kids annual Winter Gala, which is their single largest fundraiser, is November 9 at the Seattle Hyatt. This fun evening includes a celebration of scholarship recipients, a silent auction, and a live auction.