Shadow Wood Scholarship Programs
The Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation supports two scholarship programs. The first is for the Shadow Wood Country Club and Shadow Wood Community Association employees and their children in the pursuit of continuing their education beyond high school. Annually, the fund provides scholarship grants to several qualified individuals having the ambition and drive to continue their education in pursuit of their dream of a brighter future through education.
The second is offered in conjunction with The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools to support students in Estero and Bonita Springs High Schools pursuing trade or technical school programs.
2024 Scholarship Recipients
The Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation has awarded seven scholarships to employees or dependents of employees of Shadow Wood Country Club. The Foundation also awarded vocational scholarships to two local high school graduates.
Top Left Shadow Wood Country Club and Community Association Recipients: Nathaly Barrantes, Ashley Flores, Emma Hill, Samarlo Junior Hinds, Shamari Temar Hinds, Nicholas Perdue, Teagan Mei Youngblood, and Bonita Springs and Estero High School recipients: Ivan Sanchez and Ethan Maxim.
2023 Scholarship Recipients
It is with great pleasure that we announce the individuals selected as recipients of the Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation Scholarship Program for the 2023-2024 academic year.
2022 Scholarship Recipients
It is with great pleasure that we announce the four individuals selected as recipients of the Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation Scholarship Program for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Pictured: 2022 Scholarship recipients: Maegan Leon, Samantha Twombly, Keltan Erwin, and Matthew Briggs at Shadow Wood Country Club (April 11, 2022).
Matthew Briggs works in outside operations in the Shadow Wood cart barn area. He is a Sophomore at Florida Gulf Coast University, pursuing a degree in Construction Management. Matt also is a member of FGCU’s American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 3 men’s hockey team that has been ranked as high as third in the country and recently competed in the National Playoffs in St. Louis. He volunteers at the Midwest Food Bank here in Fort Myers. Matt’s reference letters describe a hard-working young man with a great attitude and a 100% commitment to his work. Click here to watch Matthew’s video.
Keltan Erwin works in the food and beverage area as a bartender. She is a Senior at Florida Gulf Coast University and will graduate in May. Keltan carries a 3.5 GPA and has been recognized on the Lutgurt College of Business Dean’s List the past 3 years. She also volunteers in two local not-for-profit organizations and plans to continue her education in pursuit of her graduate degree in Business/ Entrepreneurship.
Maegan Leon is the daughter of Ruth Leon, Administrative Assistant for Golf Course Maintenance. She will graduate from Naples High School in May and plans to continue her education at Florida Gulf Coast University, pursuing a degree in Journalism. Maegan has been active in high school participating in band and color guard where she was named team captain. Her 3.5 GPA coupled with several AP courses have earned her academic honors. Click here to watch Maegan’s Video.
Samantha Twombly works as a bartender at Shadow Wood while attending Florida Gulf Coast University. In her junior year, she is pursuing a degree in Health Sciences and carries a 3.73 GPA. Sam regularly volunteers at the FGCU campus food pantry and Community Cooperative in Fort Myers. She stated in her essay “When I was volunteering for Community Cooperative and preparing meals for people in need, we never had enough food, and we never had enough staff. It was an eye opening and very meaningful experience for me, allowing me to gain a far greater sense of community.” Click here to watch Samantha’s video.
Each recipient will receive a scholarship award covering up to $6,000 of tuition and other expenses associated with textbooks, supplies, and special fees. Each recipient also will be eligible to a renewal of their scholarship for three additional years if they continue to meet a minimum GPA of 2.5 and continuous enrollment.
The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools (FLCPS) and The Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation Award Ten Students with Technical/Trade School Scholarship
DETAILS TO FOLLOW
2021 Scholarship Recipients
Click the links below to read more about the programs and recipients.
The Shadow Wood Country Club and Community Association Scholarship Recipients
2021 Scholarship Recipients
It is with great pleasure that we announce the three recipients of the Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation Scholarship Program for the 2021-2022 academic year. This year’s winners are:
Megan Barry – is the daughter of Becky Gilmore Dining Room Manager at the Preserve. In 2017 Megan was awarded a 2-year scholarship from the Charitable Foundation to assist with completion of her college degree in Environmental Science at Florida State University. This year Megan is a recipient of her 2nd scholarship which will assist her with completion of her master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of South Florida. Megan plans to complete her graduate degree in late 2022 or early 2023.
Haiden John Hartmann, son of Peter Hartmann, Outside Operations Supervisor, graduated from Fort Myers High School in June of this year. Haiden also is a dual enrollment student with Florida SouthWestern State College and will have earned 30 hours of college credit at the time of his high school graduation. One of Haiden’s letters of recommendation states in part “Haiden wants to focus his exceptional adaptability and love of logical rigor on becoming a dentist adept at meeting the needs of his patients.” Haiden will commence his college years at Florida State University in the fall.
Hayley Merie Murphy joined Shadow Wood in October 2019 as a server. In January 2021 she was promoted to Food and Beverage Floor Captain. Hayley graduated from Florida SouthWestern State College with an Associates of Arts degree maintaining a 3.9 GPA while also working. In her personal essay Hayley writes “I feel that one of our main duties as humans is to discover what our purpose and passions are, to reach our highest potential in each of the different areas of our lives.” This scholarship will help Hayley realize her dream of being the first one in her immediate family to receive her bachelor’s degree.
Each of these recipients will receive a scholarship award covering up to $6,000 of tuition and other expenses associated with textbooks, supplies, housing, and special fees. Each recipient also will be entitled to a renewal of their scholarship for three additional years if they continue their education and have maintained a GPA of at least 2.5.
The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools (FLCPS) and The Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation Award Nine Students with Technical/Trade School Scholarship
On May 24, 2021, The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools and the Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation surprised nine students with a $5,000 scholarship to any trade or technical school. The scholarship was awarded to seven students from Bonita Springs High School and two students from Estero High School virtually in front of their principals, families and counselors.
“This awesome scholarship opportunity, created by The Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation, will help very deserving students achieve their highest level”, states Marshall T. Bower, Esq, President & CEO of The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools. “Career pathways in the trades and technical field help to ensure a robust economy”.
Tod Wilcock, President of the Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation, said “The Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation, generously supported by the Shadow Wood Community, wishes to congratulate those outstanding students of Bonita Springs and Estero High Schools, who have been awarded scholarships to support their training and education for their future in trade and technical vocations. These scholarships will provide for these students, fulfilling their dreams as they become valuable contributors to our community”.
2020 Scholarship Recipient Courtney Degenaro
Courtney works at Shadow Wood Country Club as a hostess and server. She graduated high school Cum Laude and is a member of the National Honor Society. She is attending FGCU pursuing a bachelor's degree in Health Science. Courtney will graduate in May 2020 and plans to pursue her master's degree in Public Health.
2020 Scholarship Recipient Leyton Harrington
Leyton is the son of Scott Harrington, Tennis Instructor at Shadow Wood Country Club. He will graduate from Lee Virtual High School with a dual enrollment program, including earning an AA from FSW. Leyton plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in Computer Science with an emphasis on the field of cybersecurity at either FGCU or USF.
2020 Scholarship Recipient Josh Kozlowski
Josh has worked as an outside services attendant at Shadow Wood Country Club for 2 years. He attends FGCU and is pursuing a Finance degree with a concentration in Financial Planning. Josh is taking courses to prepare for the Certified Financial Planner exam upon graduation.
2020 Scholarship Recipient Sarah Felkner
Sarah has worked as a beverage cart attendant at Shadow Wood Country Club for 3 seasons. She is a sophomore at FGCU where she is a Civil Engineering major. Sarah is a Tutor and Supplemental Instruction Leader with the Center for Academic Achievement at FGCU with a cumulative GPA of 3.78.
2020 Scholarship Recipient Nathaly Barrantes
Nathaly is the daughter of Fanny Greenberg, server at Shadow Wood Country Club. She came to the U.S. from Costa Rica when she was 11, working to learn English in school. Through her efforts, she was placed into honors classes in high school. Now a senior, she is in the dual enrollment program with a 3.5 GPA. Nathaly is a member of the Lacrosse team and volunteers at the Summit Church and Interfaith Charities and plans to attend FGCU in the fall.
2020 Scholarship Recipient Jordyn Roberts
Jordyn works as a beverage cart attendant at Shadow Wood Country Club. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Health Science from Florida Gulf Coast University in May 2020 and plans to continue to graduate school while working toward a master's degree in Healthcare Administration. In addition to her work at Shadow Wood, Jordyn participates in an internship with the Lee Health Center at Golisano Children's Hospital with the Infectious Disease Specialists.
2019 Scholarship Recipient Lexy Cooper
Lexy is a Beverage Cart Attendant at Shadow Wood Country Club. She is enrolled in five courses at Florida Gulf Coast University where she also is a cheerleader for the FGCU Eagles. Lexy is a Junior and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Communication with a career goal of entering the field of broadcasting.
2019 Scholarship Recipient Karli Hartmann
Karli is the daughter of Peter Hartmann, Outside Services Supervisor at Shadow Wood Country Club. She has a cumulative weighted GPA of 4.79 and will graduate from Fort Myers High School this year. Karli plans to attend Florida State University leading to a career as a Physician’s Assistant.
2019 Scholarship Recipient Charles Raffay
Charles is an Outside Services Staff Member at Shadow Wood Country Club. He is a full-time student at Florida Gulf Coast University in his Junior year with a major in Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship Studies. He is also an Eagle Scout and on the 2018 Dean’s list at FGCU.
2019 Scholarship Recipient David Benjamin
David is the Assistant Golf Professional at Shadow Wood Country Club. He is currently pursuing his MBA via the online program by Florida State University while working full time here at Shadow Wood, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. David’s career goal is to become the General Manager of a country club.
2019 Scholarship Recipient Nicholas Perdue
Nick is the son of Christine Perdue, server at Shadow Wood Country Club. He will graduate from Lehigh Senior High School this year, also earning his Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) diploma while in high school. Nick plans to enroll in the Georgia Institute of Technology, pursuing a career in engineering.
2018 Scholarship Recipient Morgan Wells
Morgan is a Server in the Food & Beverage Department at Shadow Wood Country Club. She is a senior at Florida Gulf Coast University who plans to complete her undergraduate degree in social work then go on to earn her Master's so she can work with patients in health care.
2018 Scholarship Recipient Olivia Hartline
Olivia is the stepdaughter of Rob Vinal, Tennis Instructor at Shadow Wood Country Club. Olivia is in her Senior year at the University of Central Florida majoring in Health Sciences. She intends to go on to medical school to become a pediatric orthopedic.
2018 Scholarship Recipient Samantha Crisanti
Samantha is the daughter of Richard Crisanti, Executive Chef at Shadow Wood Country Club. She is a student at the University of Florida majoring in Political Science and Economics. Samantha hopes to join the Peace Corps then go on to law school.
2018 Scholarship Recipient Christa Brooks
Christa is the daughter of Daniel Brooks, South Course Superintendent at Shadow Wood Country Club. She is a student at Florida Southwestern State College who recently made the Dean's List. Upon completing her studies, Christa plans to teach English to elementary and high school students.
2017 Scholarship Recipients Megan and Jessica Barry
Florida State University seniors Megan and Jessica are the twin daughters of Shadow Wood Preserve Dining Room Manager, Becky Gilmore. Megan is studying Environmental Science and Urban Planning, while Jessica is studying Psychology & Child Development.
CONGRATULATIONS GRADS!
Scholarship Recipients Megan and Jessica Barry graduated in December 2018 from Florida State University with degrees in Environmental Science/Urban Planning and Psychology/Child Development. Congratulations graduates! We are excited to see what the future has in store for these bright, hard-working young women.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Video updates from our past scholarship recipients on how their educational journeys have progressed since being granted scholarship funds from the Foundation.