Phillip L. Williams Scholarship awarded to Calhoun grad

The family of the late Philip Williams, a former commander of Merrick’s American Legion Post No. 1282, this year awarded the $1,000 Philip L. Williams Memorial Scholarship to Julia Losner, a Calhoun High School graduate who plans on studying at Harvard University in the fall.

Losner is also Calhoun’s 2017 valedictorian.

“Julia didn’t realize how academically accomplished she really is,” said Sharon Williams, Phillip’s wife of 43 years. “I was very impressed with her.”

Losner told the Herald that she wrote her essay on “the little things you can do that enhance people’s lives.

“Whether it’s shoveling snow for a neighbor, singing a song, or just striking up a conversation, it’s the things that may seem simple that are the most special ways in which you can impact people,” she said.

Williams noted Losner’s compassion for others and work as a junior EMT, as well as her role as editor of the school newspaper.

“She believes that [one’s own] actions can have a positive impact in someone’s life,” Williams added. “She’s such a well-rounded girl … and the qualities she has are what my husband believed in and how he was able to make a difference in the lives of others.”