At the June 14, 2016 VFW Post #8870 meeting, the recipient of the Jim Harkness Freedom Scholarship was recognized by the Post. This year, which marks the fifth year of the program, the scholarship was named to honor Jim Harkness a WW II Army veteran. Jim is a long-time member of the Post, who has served his colleagues in a variety of leadership positions. Jim served in the 758th Field Artillery Battalion and landed in Cherbourg, France to join in chasing the Germans back to their homeland. For more than a month, Jim and his unit engaged the enemy in the Battle of the Bulge. Jim’s wife, Dorothy joined him in presenting the $1500 scholarship to this year’s recipient, Chloe Ames.
The Jim Harkness Freedom Scholarship was established to identify and reward deserving graduating seniors who have achieved an outstanding record of academic achievement, leadership, and community service and understand and value the freedom and rights guaranteed to us all by our Constitution.
Chloe is a recent graduate of Kamiak High School in Mukilteo. During her high school years, Chloe pursued a rigorous academic schedule, taking one or more Honors or AP courses during all four of her high school years. She graduated with a GPA of 3.7. Chloe was a member of the National Honor Society and the Kamiak Pep and Show Bands. Community service is important to Chloe, and she served on the Mukilteo Youth Advisory Board for the Mukilteo City Council. She also volunteered a considerable amount of her time to assist classroom teachers and students with special needs at Serene Lake and Picnic Point Elementary Schools. Chloe taught at her church’s Vacation Bible School and served as an assistant Sunday school teacher.