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The Board of Directors for the Stuart and Margaret L. Forbes Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2023 Stuart Forbes Polk High Scholar Award, Finn Bell. 

This $10,000 renewable scholarship totals $40,000 and is awarded to a student who is strong academically, well-rounded and goal-oriented, and who demonstrates unique talent in a specific area. The 2023 scholarship is awarded to Finn Bell by the Forbes Foundation and the Polk County Community Foundation.

Finn was an honor student at Polk County High School. He was elected Freshman Class President after a blistering meme campaign, likely setting the stage for elections later that year. A member of the Ski and Snowboard Team, he is also a whitewater kayaker and uses his skills when volunteering with local organizations treating hemlocks and conducting water quality testing on the Green River.  

During the summer, Finn serves as the Head of Whitewater at Camp Carolina in Brevard, supervising the whitewater kayaking and rafting programs and teaching young campers how to kayak. He is also certified in Wilderness First Aid as a Level 4 Swiftwater Rescue Technician and as an ACA Whitewater Kayak Instructor.  

During the school year, Finn can be found at the Wildflour Bakery making pizzas, a job he has loved since his freshman year. In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing, riding his one-wheel and curating his mustache.  

Finn plans to attend Duke University in the fall where he will study Mechanical Engineering. He is the son of Tim and Sara Bell of Saluda.

 

Submitted by Susan McHugh