Harrison teen receives Horatio Alger Scholarship

Oprah Winfrey, astronaut Buzz Aldrin and CNN’s Lou Dobbs were just a few of the famous achievers who shook Zach Mayne’s hand this April. The Harrison senior received an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for five days in honor of his Horatio Alger National Scholarship award of $10,000.

It was Mayne’s first trip to the East Coast and along with 106 other award recipients, he was treated to sight-seeing tours, breakfasts at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, and inspirational speeches by Maya Angelou as part of the National Scholars Conference.

“These guys were treating us like we were the celebrities,” he said. “I felt blown away.”

Donations from Horatio Alger Association members keep the nation’s largest private, need-based scholarship program alive. Local businessman Duane Hagadone is a member and saved a spot for Mayne to share a meal during one of the week’s events. Mayne mingled with other accomplished students, including some with near-perfect SAT scores and full scholarships to Ivy League schools.

“It was definitely humbling,” Mayne said.

More than 20,000 applicants competed against Mayne for this award. The scholarship program was founded in 1947 to assist students who have overcome obstacles and are committed to using their experiences to serve others. Mayne doesn’t share the details of his hardships, but does say that he was uprooted several times before landing in North Idaho, with his five siblings, mother and stepfather. He arrived at Kootenai Junior-Senior High School for his senior year, carrying along a British accent from his younger days, which he spent in London.

English teacher Rene Barros believes that Mayne’s obvious intelligence, self-initiative and smooth adjustment to American life probably contributed to his winning the scholarship.

“To transfer continents at this stage in life, that’s a difficult transition to make,” she said. “He did it with real grace.”

Barros watched Mayne laugh along when students poked fun at his word choices, such as “bin” instead of “waste basket.” In return, he taunted his teacher by using the British spellings of “colour” and “flavour” whenever he could.

Mayne embraced the differences of a rural lifestyle and shared his wit through stories of his first hunting trip. His positive attitude and social skills helped him become part of the community within weeks of his transfer, Barros said.

Although Kootenai Junior-Senior High School is the tiniest of any schools he’s attended, Mayne ranks it as the best and the one that has taught him the most. He’s been to eight schools in 18 years and appreciates the one-on-one time teachers give at Kootenai.

“They care so much about the students,” he said. “It’s an amazing school.”

He credits the school staff with helping him figure out his direction for college and find scholarships. He also won a school essay contest on democracy sponsored by a veteran’s group.

The Horatio Alger application took Mayne about three weeks to complete. He found the required essays difficult, as he was asked to detail his personal adversities and what he wants to accomplish in life.

“I was just honest,” he said.

Although he still has relatives in England, Mayne plans to remain in the United States and attend the University of Idaho. He hopes to go on to law school with the ultimate goal of holding a public office one day. He was his junior class president in Colorado, where he lived before coming to Harrison, and enjoys studying politics and world events.

Mayne’s other activities include playing basketball, and membership in Business Professionals of America, Peers Encouraging Abstinent Kids and Idaho Drug Free Youth. He participated in the school volunteer club, which cleans up after football games and raises money by chopping and stacking wood.

“When there’s a need, we go and help,” he said.

If you ask Mayne, he’s unsure why he was chosen for the Horatio Alger award, but he gives thanks and credit to his parents.

“The experience is just amazing,” he said. “I didn’t really feel I deserved it. It looked like it was out of my league. I feel God deserves all the glory.”