Amber Shibley of Gloversville and Lauren Downing of Fultonville have been named winners of the club’s 2003 James R. Dern Memorial Scholarships. The athletes received their $500 awards June 15 in ceremonies following the club's annual Mule Haul 8K.

Amber, the daughter of Kurt and Leslee Shibley, is a member of Mayfield High School’s class of 2003. She’s a four-year member of the school’s varsity cross country team and this year won all but one of the dual meets in which she participated along with her first invitational (the Galway). She went on to place second at the Western Athletic Conference Championships, sixth at the Section 2 Championships, and 16th at the NY State Championships. She was a captain of the cross country team this year and selected as its MVP. She also was named the Fulmont Roadrunners Club’s Cross Country Runner of the Year for 2003.

Academically, Amber is in the upper half of her class at Mayfield High and receives high praise from her teachers for her dedication and effort. She has a particular interest in Spanish and last year volunteered for the school’s Project Teach service learning program, which involves teaching a weekly half-hour lesson in Spanish to elementary school students. Amber works as a waitress at a local fast food restaurant and will be attending the State University of New York at Cobleskill, where she plans to study restaurant management.

Lauren, the daughter of Michelle and Michael Downing, is ranked 10th in Fonda-Fultonville High School’s class of 2003. She has been a member of the National Honor Society since the 10th grade and this year took college-level courses as a participant in the Early Admissions Program at Fulton Montgomery Community College, where she also worked part time as a student aid in the president’s office. Lauren has participated in varsity indoor and outdoor track since the seventh grade and in varsity cross country since the ninth grade, serving as a team captain in all three sports. She was named a New York State Scholar Athlete for varsity track and cross country in her sophomore, junior, and senior years and a Western Athletic Conference all star in cross country for those same years.

Outside of school, Lauren represented the Capital Region as a People to People Student Ambassador, which provided her with the opportunity to travel to different European countries and learn about their cultures, values, and politics. She also has volunteered her time to tutor elementary students and work for the Special Olympics. Lauren will be attending the University at Buffalo, where she intends to study psychology and law.

Amber and Lauren are the 17th and 18th recipients of the scholarship that bears the name of Jim Dern, a Canajoharie resident, Beechnut executive, and longtime running enthusiast and FMRRC member. With this year’s awards, more than $8000 in Dern scholarships will have been granted to young men and women from eight area high schools. The awards program was begun in 1995.