19/05/2026
The Harwich Republican Town Committee is pleased to announce that Sawyer Nicholson is the recipient of the seventh $1000 scholarship offered to a graduating Harwich Senior. He will be attending Southern Maine Community College in the Fall. We congratulate him on his winning essay presented below and wish him a successful future.
Pictured below are Peter Hughes, Chair for the Harwich RTC, presenting a check to scholarship winner Sawyer Nicholson along with his parents Diane and David.
Sawyer chose the following topic for his essay
How will this scholarship help you pursue your education/career goals?:
And here is his award winning essay:
When people say that life experiences shape your future, I know that to be true. A traumatic event in my childhood not only changed my life, but ultimately guided me toward a career in the fire service. When I was ten years old, my family gathered on the beach to celebrate my grandfather’s 85th birthday. We had a fire burning in a metal bin on the sand for hours. Around midnight, as we packed up in the dark, someone moved the bin closer to the water to extinguish it. Unaware, I stood up and ran toward the parking lot, only to collapse in agony. I had stepped onto the area where the fire had been. The sand was still intensely hot, and it severely burned both of my feet. I fell face down, unable to move, in overwhelming pain. When first responders arrived, they placed me on a stretcher, poured water over my feet, and rushed me by ambulance to Barnstable airport, where I was transported by MedFlight helicopter.
Despite receiving strong pain medications, the pain remained unbearable. I was treated at Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children for second and third degree burns. I was hospitalized for two weeks and required a year of physical therapy. Learning to walk again was both physically and emotionally challenging.
During this time, I developed a strong desire to prevent similar injuries. At Shriners, I learned that burns like mine happen every year due to improperly extinguished beach fires. I shared my story through local media to raise awareness as well as educating local first responders.
I plan to attend Southern Maine Community College and enroll in its Live-In Firefighter Program, which allows students to earn Firefighter I/II certification and an associate degree while gaining hands-on experience in a fire station.
Throughout high school, I have prepared for this path by completing five AP courses, participating in dual enrollment at Cape Cod Community College, and interning with the Chatham Fire Department. I am also a National Registry certified EMT, licensed in Massachusetts and Maine.
These experiences have confirmed my commitment to a career in firefighting. I am driven to serve others in their most difficult moments, just as others once did for me. I plan to bring these skills I learn back to my community to serve those that have done so much for me during my life.
Congratulations Sawyer, we wish you the best in the future
