On Oct. 7, 2022, Ella Farrer, a North Penn-Mansfield alumna, was recognized at the Pennsylvania Municipal League’s Leadership Summit for winning the third place prize of a $500 scholarship in the League’s 39th annual John A. Garner Jr. Civic Engagement Essay Scholarship Contest.
On Monday, Jan. 9, Farrer was awarded with a small trophy commemorating winning third place by Mansfield Mayor Kathy Barrett and borough manager Chris McGann.
“We are so proud to be presenting this award to Ella,” said Barrett.
The essay prompt for the John A. Garner Jr. scholarship was “Civics and You,” where applicants were asked to reflect on opportunities in their community that allow for civic engagement and encourage citizens to volunteer to help with local challenges.
During her time at North Penn-Mansfield High School, Farrer was involved with the Mansfield community through school-affiliated and independent organizations alike. She was a member of Future Business Leaders of America, National Honor Society, STEAM Team, Student Empowerment Group and was president of the student council.
Farrer was also a member of the cross country, track and field, and basketball teams at North Penn-Mansfield High School. Outside of school, she attended Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week, was a lifeguard and volunteered at the food pantry.
In her senior year at North Penn-Mansfield High School, Farrer was chosen as the Overall Winner of the Youth Leaders of Tomorrow in February 2022.
Farrer used her experiences with school and community government and service in her essay. She wrote about how students who are taught how to get involved in their community in school settings are more likely to be engaged with their community after graduation, and described how her experience in school organizations has taught her about leadership and professional engagement with public officials and other organizations.
“Communities need citizens that are passionate about issues, people that understand the ways to be involved,” Farrer’s essay reads. “There need to be more people willing to take steps toward being the solution.”
Farrer herself is living out her essay’s topic of civic engagement following a student into adult life. She is now a student at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa., where she is enrolled in the university’s Government, Law and National Security Program. The GLNS Program integrates political science, legal studies and public administration to prepare students for positions related to government service and the law, which is civic engagement to its core. Farrer is planning to attend law school after graduating from Misericordia University and plans to become an attorney.
