Teen Gets Scholarship for Volunteering

RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (RBSCFG) announced this week that Amanda Mattes of Calabasas is a second prize winner of its annual TruFit Good Citizen Scholarship program. She receives a $1,000 scholarship to help supplement the cost of tuition for the fall semester at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Started in 2011, RBSCFG created the scholarship program as a way to recognize and reward students whose volunteer efforts have made a lasting impact in their communities.

The winners were chosen based on the responsibility and leadership skills they have demonstrated through their community service. More than 5,000 high school seniors and college students applied for the scholarships.

“We want to congratulate Amanda, who is using her talent and passion for volunteerism to help those in her community who need it most,” said Brendan Coughlin, President of Education Finance, RBS Citizens Financial Group. “Community service is a part of our own culture, so we are excited to be able to celebrate the contributions of Amanda and all the TruFit Scholarship winners, and to be able to help them cover some of their college expenses. As a private student lender committed to helping students finance their education, we are pleased to reward these students for supporting their communities.”

Mattes volunteers with Blessings in a Backpack, an organization that provides backpacks filled with food to low-income children. Mattes held a drive to collect backpacks for the organization at her former middle school. She collected more than 280 backpacks in three months.

In addition to collecting backpacks, Mattes spoke to a group of middle school students about childhood hunger and created a blog to increase awareness to the issue. She also created a brochure that the school uses to educate students on the effects of childhood hunger and how it can be prevented.