MHS Graduate Receives Criminal Justice Scholarship, Joins Guatemala Mission Trip

Mission Team to Return to Guatemala

Marshfield, WI (OnFocus) Marshfield High School 2018 graduate Brooke Rollins has been awarded the $500 Wood County Fire Investigator Task Force Criminal Justice scholarship.

The Concordia University sophomore is majoring in Accounting with a minor in Forensic Accounting and Criminal Justice, and is looking to one day combat white collar crimes as a forensic accountant.

“I like the numbers side of accounting and working with spreadsheets, but I also enjoy the mystery aspect of forensics and putting a twist on accounting,” said Rollins, who hopes to be employed with a firm that handles white collar cases.

She credits her excitement for the field to high school business teacher, Mrs. Dietsche. While attending Marshfield High School, Rollins took part in the club Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) for three years and was vice president her senior year, competing at state in 2018. Rollins also developed her skills by participating in Finance Bowl for two years.

Through Youth Apprenticeship, Rollins gained insight into the financial world at a local institution and partnered with a mentor through Pathway Partners, performing job shadowing through the program.

While she’ll soon be heading back to school, Rollins is also excited to return to Guatemala in October as part of a week-long mission trip with Christ Lutheran Church, for which she received a $250 scholarship. Her last trip was in November 2017.

“It was a week I will never forget. I am looking forward to seeing all the Guatemalans again and their wonderful smiles we get to see each and every day we are there,” said Rollins. “I am also excited to share the word of God with them and pray with them in the tough times they may be going through.”

The mission group made house visits and prayed with locals, who discussed the challenges they faced.

“Seeing the way the Guatemalans live was amazing. They all have so little, yet are so grateful for what they have. Experiencing this made me realize that we take so much for granted here in the U.S.,” she said. “Saying ‘Hasta Luego!’ to the Guatemalans that we worked so closely with was very difficult. These people had such an impact on my life.”

The group distributed household and school supplies, along with vitamins. The trip included other eye-opening experiences, such as a visit to a large dumping area where the poorest rummage for items to sell.

“This mission trip was a life-changing experience, and I hope that everyone gets the chance to see a different part of the world at some point in their lives,” Rollins said.