DERRY — Salem High School student, Ben LaGrasse was awarded the 2025 Anna Willis High School Senior Award by Derry-based nonprofit, The Upper Room.
LaGrasse was singled out by The Upper Room for achieving academic success and demonstrating volunteerism. He has volunteered both locally and internationally, and is now preparing for a mission to Kenya.
“There is no place on Earth where volunteerism isn’t necessary to the overall well-being of the community. It is completely vital in the efforts of creating stronger relationships and hope in a world where finding any hope can sometimes prove an incredible challenge.” LaGrasse said.
The Upper Room awards the scholarship annually in memory of late Salem High School teacher Anna Willis, one of the founders of the organization.
“We are honored to continue to celebrate one of our founders, Anna Willis, in this way and know that the mission she and Claire Hamilton started continues to live out in our work each day”, Brenda Guggisberg, the executive director of The Upper Room said.
LaGrasse, who is set to attend Johnson University in Knoxville, Tenn., this fall also participated in sports, his church community and more, which led a group of the organization’s board members to select him as the scholarship’s recipient out of 28 applicants.