In front of a packed theater of beaming parents and friends,
seniors boasting sleek dresses and shirts and ties made trip after
trip to the podium to take home a record-breaking $423,585 in
scholarships from local organizations.
Gilroy – In front of a packed theater of beaming parents and friends, seniors boasting sleek dresses and shirts and ties made trip after trip to the podium to take home a record-breaking $423,585 in scholarships from local organizations.
Gilroy High School seniors accepted more than 125 awards ranging from $100 to $40,000 Tuesday night at the annual Senior Awards Celebration. The total amount awarded eclipsed awards from the past two years, which together comprised only half this year’s scholarships. Including scholarships from universities and colleges awarded earlier in the year, the seniors tallied almost $2.2 million to help them attend college.
“It just shows the support of the community,” said Donya Maiorino, an academic coordinator with the school. “More people are coming forward and saying I want to present.”
The total of the scholarships disbursed by local organizations this year is 2.5 times larger than the 2006 total and 5.5 times larger than 2005 total. The seniors, who sat spotlighted in rows of chairs were only too happy to accept the extra money.
“Any little bit helps,” said Jairo Rodriguez, who next year will attend Stanford University, which can cost more than $40,000 per year. “A hundred dollars here or there just pays for a book or two. It’s just good for everybody involved.”
Rodriguez’ face and name became familiar to the hundreds of parents, siblings and fellow students that attended the two-hour ceremony. The former GHS soccer player received eight awards totaling $53,350, including scholarships from a fund set up by the late Jose Mata for $40,000 and from the Bay Area All-Star Scholarship, which give Rodriguez $3,000 and tickets to the owner’s box for six professional Bay Area sports games.
“I knew I was getting two or three awards, but the rest of them were kind of a surprise,” he said. “It’s kind of just the culmination of four years of hard work that I’ve put in. All the stuff I did – late night studying, everything – just paid off.”
Only Alexis Dalke, a cheerleader and student body president, took home more awards than Rodriguez. The University of California, Berkeley-bound senior was given nine scholarships worth $9,700.
“I can’t express how grateful I am to receive them,” she said after the ceremony.
Her scholarships included the Erin Kinkel Memorial Scholarship, named after the 15-year-old Gilroy cheerleader who died after being thrown out of a pickup in August 2004. Her portrait greets students as they leave the parking lot, with a message reminding them to buckle up.
Scott Kinkel, Erin’s father, fought back tears as he described the award and announced the winner. He and Dalke – who cheered with Erin Kinkel – hugged when she came up to receive the scholarship.
“It really touched my heart,” she said afterward.
Other students who left the theater with a sizable contribution toward their college fund included Jasmine Robles – who took home two awards totaling $42,500 – and Dana Roberts – who received four scholarships worth $13,900.
The increase the school has seen in contributions shows that local organizations are recognizing the accomplishments of this high school class and is willing to make an investment in their education, Maiorino said.
“Our local community supports our kids and these are very, very bright students,” she said. “This class is very bright.”
Scholarships Class of 2007
Dennis DeBell Memorial
Presented by: Marilyn Ayala
– Jairo Rodriguez $1,500
– Ben Wilson $1,500
Myrle Wolfe Memorial
Presented by: Marilyn Ayala
Arianna Azevedo $1,500
– Lauren Baty $5,000
– Kelly Hess $5,000
– Dana Roberts $12,000
Rudy Melone Memorial
Presented by: Judy Lazarus
– Jairo Rodriguez $2,000
– Jacob Cantu $1,250
– Ricardo Cerda $1,000
– Alexis Dalke $1,500
– Jonathan La $1,250
– Michael Podesta $1,000
– Humberto Pineda $1,000
– Ben Wilson $2,000
Paul E. Thompson Memorial
Presented by: Dr. Gail Donovan
– Francisco Gil $1,000
– Dana Roberts $1,000
Rod Kelley
Presented by: Dr. Gail Donovan
– Ricardo Cerda $500
James Sacco Memorial
Presented by: Ruth Sacco
Jairo Rodriguez $500
Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)
Presented by: Juanita Contin
– Jennifer Gustin $400
Francisco Gil $400
Ricardo Cerda $400
Dana Roberts $400
Latino Family Fund de Gilroy
Presented by: Linda Piceno
– Francisco Jose Gil $525
GHS Leadership Award
Presented by: Julie Berggren
– Alexis Dalke $200
Jan Kelley Memorial Scholarship
Presented by: Namra Pourroy
– Amanda Bruce $1,000
Bay Area All-Star Scholarship
Presented by: Brandon Moreno
– Jairo Rodriguez $3,000
Navy Scholarships
Presented by: Fred Brier
– Alycia Bostock $50,000
– Sebastian Muro $50,000
– Ryan St Pierre $40,000
– Logan Vidmar $40,000
– Seth Whitney $50,000
AAUW
Presented by: Martha Martinez
– Alexis Dalke $500
Gilroy Chamber of Commerce
Presented by: Rob Oneta
Bill Lindstead Memorial Scholarship
Alexis Dalke $2,500
Business and Education Scholarship
Michael Stevens $2,000
Philip Higgins $1,000
Dana Roberts $500
Carly Kennedy $500
– Vocational Education Scholarship
– – Sydney Hurtado $500
– – Juan Barriga $500
Sons of Italy Gilroy Lodge #1751
Presented by: Frank Locicero
– Carly Apuzzo $500
– Michael Podesta $500
Gilroy C.S.E.A Chapter Scholarship
Presented by:Angelina Rojas
– Brandyn Lemmon $500
Luigi Aprea School Scholarship
Presented by: Stephani Chisolm
– Arianna Azevedo $500
– Tania Reynolds $500
Rich Imler Memorial Scholarship
Presented by: Stephanie Chisolm
– Christine Camacho $250
Gilroy Elks Lodge #1567 ENF Most Valuable Student Contest
Presented by: Art Gillespie
– Jasmine Hyatt $1,800
– Anna Carbonel $1,300
– Arianna Azevedo $1,300
– Alexis Dalke $500
– Jairo Rodriguez $1,200 (plus $4,000 Nationals)
Granite Construction Golden Rule Leadership Scholarship
Presented by: Neil Ogimachi
– Ricardo Cerda $1,200
Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens Award
Presented by: Mary Beth Nagareda
– Bryan Walker $250
Odyssey Theatre Company Community Scholarship
Presented by: ???
– Carly Apuzzo $500
– Sarah Burdick $500
Italian Catholic Federation-Rosie Mammini Memorial Scholarship
Presented by: Shirley Silva
– Cassondra Collom $400
– Matt Hemeon $400
Standard Pacific Homes Scholarship
Presented by: Stephanie Pierce
– Jairo Rodriguez $1,000
Erin Kinkel Memorial Scholarship
Presented by: Scott and Miki Kinkel
– Alexis Dalke $500
South County Realtors Association (SCRA)
Presented by: Cynthia Miller
– Alexis Dalke $1,000
– Michael Stevens $1,000
– Christine Camacho $1,000
Jimmy Hirasaki Memorial Scholarship
Presented by: Rita Gutierrez-Fisher
– Arianna Azevedo $1,800
– Alan Hoshida $1,800
Stephen Michael Stramback Memorial Scholarship
Presented by: George and Sandi Stramback and Jeff and Nettie Letts
Daniel Dockendorf $750
Rowena Tabilas $750
Gilroy Rotary Academic Achievement and Services Scholarship
Presented by: Bob Kovacs
– Michael Stevens $2,500
– Alexis Dalke $2,500
– Michael Podesta $1,000
– Anna Carbonel $1,000
– Sydney Hurtado $1,000
– Daniel Leong $1,000
– Phillip Higgins $1,000
Gilroy Rotary Goldsmith Seeds Floriculture Scholarship
Presented by: Bob Kovacs
– Lindsay Kwong $4,000
Gordon Kusayanagi Memorial Music Scholarship
Presented by: Stephanie Kusayanagi
– Victoria Arribere $2,500
–
Jeramy Ailes Memorial Scholarship
Presented by: Janay Ailes
– Tania Reynolds $500
Gilroy Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)
Presented by: Takako Moton
Alan Hoshida $250 (organization would like to keep amount private. Please do not print amount in the paper)
South County Morgan Hill Service Group
Presented by: Takako Moton
– Alan Hoshida $700
California Scholarship Federation
Presented by: Matt Hungerford and Adriane Hughes
– Megan Litle $200
– Mei Liang $200
Ann H. Zuhr CSF Scholar
Presented by: Matt Hungerford
– Erin Magil $250
MESA Scholars
Presented by: Matt Hungerford and Adriane Hughes
– Juan Berriga $500
– Jairo Rodriguez $150
St. Louise Regional Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship
Presented by: Christine Flautt
– Rowena Tabilas $500
CSUMB Local Area Scholarship
Presented by: Dianne Padilla
– Marissa Mercado $6,000
Cal-SOAP Scholarships
Presented by: Dianne Padilla
– Madelein Morales $500
– Rosaura Perales $500
– Esmeralda Rojas $1,000
– Christopher Torres $1,000
– Josh Gatihi $1,000
– Jacob Cantu $1,000
– Azucena Lopez-Ortiz $1,000
– Ingrid Rodriguez $1,000
– Lindsey Kwong $1,000
– Patricia Olivera $2,500
– Jasmine Robles $2,500
Nina Edwards Field Hockey Scholarship
Presented by: Adrienne Haygood
– Erin Magill $300
– Kelly Perkins $200
P.E.O
Presented by Mary Henry
Maria Banuelos $500
Alexis Dalke $500
Safeway Scholarship
Presented by: Jackie Valdez
– Tania Reynolds $2,000
– Brandon Harrell $2,00
– Michael Podesta $750
– Brandyn Lemmon $320
– Joshua Gahiti $750
– Jennifer Alonso $320
– Daniel Leong $320
Student Services Scholarship
Presented by: Jackie Valdez
– Brandyn Lemmon $1,500
– Francisco Gil $1,500
– Daniel Leong $625
– Jennifer Alonso $625
Mas Ganas Award
Presented by: Mariano Corzo and Teresa and Steve Costa
– Chris Gutierrez $100
– Omar Cruz $100
Julio Mata
Presented by: Donna Pray
– Jairo Rodriguez $40,000
– Jasmine Robles $40,000
2006/2007 Gilroy High School Athletic Department Awards
Presented by: Jack Daley
Athlete of the Year
– Jose Velasquez $250
– Amanda Bruce $250
Distinguished Athlete
– Matt Hemeon $150
– Dana Schoneman $150
Sal Tomasello “Pursuing Victory with Honor” Sportsmanship Award
– Ben Wilson $150
– Jaimie Silva $150
Paul Thompson “Inspirational Athlete” Award
– Jesus Diaz $150
– Alicia Reese $150
Scholar Athlete
– Michael Stevens $150
– Megan Litle $150
Total from awards night $423,585
Grand Total 1,181,548
