Passavant Memorial Homes Foundation (PMHF) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2024 Community Service Scholarship. This scholarship was created to honor the memory of Jamie Ellenberger, an individual served by Passavant Memorial Homes Family of Services (PMHFOS) who was an active member in the community. The principle of community is central to PMHFOS’s mission, to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism, and behavioral health needs to live successfully in the community.
Typically, PMHF awards one $10,000 scholarship to a student in the region who brings that same understanding of the value of community service. This year, however, PMHF decided to award $10,000 scholarships to both Ms. Gracie Mae Miller of McDowell High School in Erie County and Ms. Madelyn Sheffel of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Beaver County.
Since 2020, Ms. Miller has been directly involved with the Millcreek Township School District’s Life Skills classroom. As a teacher’s aide through this opportunity, she was responsible for creating lesson plans, making worksheets, and teaching the children. Because of this experience, Ms. Miller hopes to become a Life Skills teacher herself.
Her work with those with disabilities doesn’t stop there. Ms. Miller has also been volunteering at Erie’s Adaptive Sailing Experience for the past two years where she assists students with disabilities learn to sail. She was also the President of the Blue Bean Café at her high school. This café sells beverages and food to students and staff, and the workers are all students in the Life Skills and Autistic Support rooms. Monies raised through the café sales allow for special outings for the students to enjoy together. She has also volunteered in the Unified Sports program since middle school.
Ms. Miller has also volunteered for the Mercy Center for Women, the Greater Erie Food Bank, the Special Olympics, the Brevillier Village Retirement Center, Make-A-Wish, and the American Cancer Society.
Ms. Miller is attending Duquesne University where she is studying Special Education/Elementary Education.
After her close family members were diagnosed with cancer, Ms. Sheffel became very involved in cancer initiatives. In 2017, she created a team for the Greater Grove City Area Relay for Life and, in seven years, has successfully raised over $750,000 for the American Cancer Society. She also volunteers at lobbying events at the Pennsylvania Capital, advocating to Congress for better cancer policies and funding.
She has also volunteered for the American Red Cross, Special Olympics of Beaver County, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Community Food Warehouse, Grove City Food Pantry, Best of the Batch Foundation, Grove City Pet Rescue, Wreaths Across America, Operation Gratitude, Light of Light Rescue Mission, Lions Club, and Mario Lemieux Foundation, and she has achieved her Gold Award with her Girl Scouts troop where she collaborated with members of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the American Cancer Society, and WTAE in developing an education program and pop-up education center to educate the public on lifestyle changes to make today to prevent cancer tomorrow.
Ms. Sheffel is attending Slippery Rock University with a desire to be a public school educator and coach. She is double majoring in Middle School Mathematics and Dance, with a minor in Secondary Education Mathematics.
This year, PMHF received 90 applications across 14 counties in western Pennsylvania.