The Gilroy Foundation gave out $621,250 in scholarships this year to Gilroy students
Scholarship applications go up on the website in January and are due back in early March.
“We are so fortunate to have so many scholarships to award that we now have three ‘teams’ of volunteers reading the students’ applications,” said Donna Pray. “Again, this role is a heavy responsibility as some of our awards, like the Julio Mata Family $50,000 scholarship can truly change a person’s direction in life—possibly the difference between getting a college education or not!”
First, the list of the scholarship winners and their schools.
Name Amount Winner
Mt. Madonna Continuation High School
Sean Michael Merriman Scholarship; $1,000.00; Butterfly Pina
Sean Michael Merriman Scholarship; $1,000.00; Giovanni Quezada
Sean Michael Merriman Scholarship; $1,000.00; Cindy Duran
Sean Michael Merriman Scholarship; $1,000.00; Mayra Perez
Sean Michael Merriman Scholarship; $1,000.00; Luisa Maquiz
Gilroy Early College Academy (GECA)
SakaBozzo Scholarship;$500.00; Adam Alvernaz
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000; Emmanuel-Aurelio De La Torre
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000: Rayleen Miranda
Julio Mata Family Scholarship; $50,000; Virginia Diaz Lazaro
Gilroy High School
Erin Kinkel Memorial Scholarship;$500; Kylie Maciel
Medley Family Memorial Scholarship; $500; Silvia Rivera
SakaBozzo Scholarship;$500 ;Ashley De Alba
SakaBozzo Scholarship;$500 ; Andrew Briggs
Robert Galaviz Memorial Scholarship; $500; Silvia Rivera
David & Valerie Vanni Agriculture Education Scholarship;$1,000; Mya Esquivel
Gelman Family Educational Scholarship; $1,000; David Vargas
Steven Michael Stramback Memorial Scholarship; $1,500; Desmon Hernandez
Steven Michael Stramback Memorial Scholarship; $1,500; Avery Trevino
Don & Karen Christopher; $2,000; Andrew Briggs
Don & Karen Christopher; $2,000; Hannah Comin
Don & Karen Christopher; $2,000; Cecilia Naranjo
Don & Karen Christopher; $2,000; Cesar Sanchez
Don & Karen Christophe; $2,000; Sarah Weiby
Christopher Ranch Employee Family Scholarship; $2,500; Brandon Hernandez Zarate
Don & Karen Christopher $3,000 Scholarships-GHS;$3,000; Emily Boykin
Don & Karen Christopher $3,000 Scholarships-GHS; $3,000; Avery Trevino
Christopher Ranch Education Scholarships; $5,000; Mya Esquivel
Linda Burnett $12,000 Scholarship; $12,000; Ruben Perez
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000;Jessica Gonzales Gonzalez
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000; Sarah Weiby
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000; David Vargas
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000; Adina Valencia
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000; Ruben Perez
Julio Mata Family $50,000 Scholarship; $50,000; David Vargas
Julio Mata Family $50,000 Scholarship; $50,000; Mya Esquivel
Christopher High School
SakaBozzo Scholarship; $500; Lindsay Marks
Valerie Roberts Memorial Scholarship; $750; Kassandra Avery
Gelman Family Educational Scholarship; $1,000; Noor Bibi
Tom S. and Hedy Obata Memorial Scholarship; $1,000; Eliseo Enciso
Sanford Family Scholarship; $1,000; Daisy Tinoco
Sontag Family Scholarship; $1,000; Daniel Marquez
Kimberly Ordaz Memorial Scholarship; $1,250; Adaline McCaw
Steven Michael Stramback Memorial Scholarship; $1,500; Mia Navarro
Steven Michael Stramback Memorial Scholarship; $1,500; Ryan Flores
Don & Karen Christopher $2,000 Comm. College-CHS;$2,000; Kassandra Avery
Don & Karen Christopher $2,000 Comm. College-CHS; $2,000; Sofia Gaeta
Don & Karen Christopher $2,000 Comm. College-CHS; $2,000; Alanna Mussynski
Don & Karen Christopher $2,000 Comm. College-CHS; $2,000; Naw K’Day Paw
Don & Karen Christopher $2,000 Comm. College-CHS; $2,000; Alyssa Mussynski
Christopher Ranch Employee Family Scholarship-CHS; $2,500; Zitlali Lustre
Don & Karen Christopher $3,000 Scholarships-CHS; $3,000; Fatima Caradonna Soza
Don & Karen Christopher $3,000 Scholarships-CHS; $3,000; Emily Fredricks
Christopher Ranch Education Scholarship; $5,000; Alexis Cartwright
Don & Karen $5,000 Scholarship; $5,000; Alexis Cartwright
Don & Karen $5,000 Scholarship; $5,000; James Eichenbaum
Ken Christopher $5,000 Scholarship; $5,000; Daisy Tinoco
Bill Christopher $10,000 Scholarship; $10,000; Esteban Rubio
Don Christopher $10,000 Scholarship; $10,000; Alejandro Diaz
Don Christopher $10,000 Scholarship; $10,000; Alexandra Souza
Linda Burnett $12,000 Scholarship; $12,000; Sofia Gaeta
Linda Burnett $12,000 Scholarship; $12,000; Fatima Caradonna Soza
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000; Mia Navaro
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000; Esteban Rubio
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000; Jacob Yoder-Schrock
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000; Karina Gonzalez
Uvas Creek Scholarship; $20,000; Lindsey Buessing
Don Christopher $20,000 Scholarship; $20,000; Daisy Tinoco
Julio Mata Family $50,000 Scholarship; $50,000; Alejandro Diaz
Live Oak High School
Steven Michael Stramback Memorial Scholarship; $1,500; Grace Aochi
Steven Michael Stramback Memorial Scholarship; $1,500; Samuel Bass
Gavilan College
Esther Costales Forman Scholarship; $250; Steven Cheng
Kai & Libby Lai Scholarship; $500; Aurora Alexander
Kai & Libby Lai Scholarship; $500; Raymond Lopez
St. Louise Hospital Volunteer Scholarship; $1,000; Raymond Lopez
Any School
Kevin A. “Mike” Gilroy Memorial Scholarship ; $500.00; TBD
Dr. Joseph Kraut Jr. Memorial Medical Scholarship; $5,000.00; TBD
The foundation also gave out $331,605 in grants to Gilroy foundations.
Gilroy Foundation Youth Board grant:
Gilroy Police Foundation Youth Program: $1,000
Latino Family Fund – Youth in Philanthropy: $2,500
Gilroy Compassion Center: $500
Rebekah Children’s Services – Culinary Academy: $500
Silicon Valley Independent Living Center: $500
St. Joseph’s Family Center: $500
Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley: $500
General Competitive Grant Total
Christopher High School – Speech and Language: $300
Gilroy Compassion Center: $500
Solorsano Middle School: $600
Gateway School: $625
Gilroy Demonstration Garden : $700
Christopher High School – Special Needs Drama Program: $850
El Roble Elementary School – Reading Books: $1,000
El Roble – PE Equipment: $1,000
South Valley Middle School Band: $1,500
Community Solutions: $1,600
TeenForce: $1,750
South County Cal-SOAP: $2,134.85
Glenview Elementary School: $2,397.15
Child Advocates of Silicon Valley: $2,500
Live Oak Adult Day Services: $2,500
Hope Services : $3,100
Luigi Aprea Elementary School: $3,738
St. Joseph’s Family Center: $3,850
City of Gilroy – Parks and Rec. Department: $4,500
Operation Freedom Paws: $5,000
The Health Trust: $5,000
DreamPower Foundation: $ 5,000
Julie Hayes “Rising Star” Performing Arts Competitive Grant; $20,000;
Gilroy High School Band
Richard Hayes “Like a Rock” Industrial Arts Competitive Grant; $20,000;
Rebekah’s On-site Non-Public School
Gilroy Senior Advisory Board Fund:
City Senior Programs; $425.
Gilroy Dog Park
City of Gilroy; $550.
Elan Family Investments Youth Fund
Parks and Rec Youth Scholarships; $700
Gary Filice Memorial Fund
Parks and Rec Youth Scholarships; $1,100.
Sean Michael Merriman Youth Rec. Fund
Parks and Rec Youth Scholarships; $3,350.
Ernie & Del Filice Family Fund
St. Mary School Library; $460.
St. Mary School Development Foundation Fund
Tuition Assistance Program; $1300.
Peter and Genevieve Blaettler Family Fund
St. Mary School Tuition Assistance Program; $1,525.
Jay Minzer & Peter Ciccarelli Memorial Fund
Rebekah’s Culinary Academy; $460.
Chuck & Rosemary Anderson Memorial Fund
Operation Freedom Paws; $550.
Al & Bunny Filice Family Fund
Gilroy Historical Society; $600.
Don & Karen Christopher Fund
Gilroy Compassion Center; $750.
Chamber of Commerce Sorenson Lake Fund
Gavilan College Business Scholarship;$1,000.
Rudy Melone Fund for Music & the Arts
Gavilan College Music & Arts Programs; $1,350.
Kai and Libby Lai Family Fund
Gavilan College Scholarship Program; $1,000.
R.J. Dyer Family Fund
Informed Choices; $1,000;
Archer Klein Foundation Fund;
GHS Scholarship Program; $1,500;
Sean Michael Merriman Operation Freedom Paws;
Operation Freedom Paws; $3,300;
Sean Michael Merriman SJ Family Center Fund;
St. Joseph’s Programs; $12,800;
Gilroy Center for the Arts Endowment Fund;
Gilroy Arts Alliance; $20,000;
Connell Family GUSD Music Fund;
GUSD Elementary Choral Teacher; $60,000;
Don Christopher Fund for CHS;
CHS Programs; $89,000;
David & Patty Chantler Family Fund;
South County Tail Waggers; $450;
Ron & Donna Pray Family Fund;
South County Tail Waggers; $650; Filice Family Trust;
South County Tail Waggers; $1300;
Richard R. Corona Memorial Fund
GHS Safe and Sober Graduation; $480; Frank Della Maggiora Fund
Cañada de los Osos; $500.
John & Lee Blaettler Family Fund;
Operation Freedom Paws; $425.
Jack & Atsuko Obata Family Fund
Operation Freedom Paws ~ $525.
Steve & Teresa Costa Family Fund
Operation Freedom Paws ~ $550.
Bill Anderson Memorial Fund
St. Mary School Playground Equipment ~ $550.
Drewitz Family Fund
Community Solutions ~ $200.
Becker Family Fund
Community Solutions ~ $500.
Drewitz Family Fund
St. Joseph’s Family Center ~ $500.
Morsilli Family Fund
St. Joseph’s Family Center ~ $500.
Margarita Ibarra Memorial Fund
St. Joseph’s Family Center ~ $750
Kraemer Family Fund
St. Joseph’s Family Center ~ $1,000
Patty Filice Family Fund
St. Joseph’s Family Center – Lord’s Table ~ $1,100
Sisters’ Family Fund
Learning and Loving Education Center ~ $725
Becker Family Fund
Tomball Texas High School, Band ~ $300
John & Lee Blaettler Family Fund
Demonstration Garden ~ $500
Morsilli Family Fund
Ladies of Charity ~ $500
Steve & Jan Peat Family Fund
Christopher High Instrumental Music Program; $600
Daly-Wallace Family Fund
DreamPower Foundation; $1,025
Natalia Salcido Legacy Foundation Fund
CHS Cheer Program; $1,200
CHS English Department; $260
John & Dolores Kent Family Fund
St. Mary School Garden – benefit Lord’s Table; $2,000
Jeff & Pam Martin Family Fund
St. Mary School Garden – benefit Lord’s Table; $2,000
Katie McKinley Memorial Fund
University of Colorado – Daniel College of Business; $2,450
Sanford Family Fund
Child Advocates of Silicon Valley; $2,500
Bress Family Fund
Gilroy High School Academic Excellence Grant; $5,000
Latino Family Fund
South Valley Middle School – Mariachi and Folklorico Club; $500
Las Animas Elementary School – STEAM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Club; $1,000
Valley Verde; $1,000
City of Gilroy – Familias Unidas; $1,200
South County Cal-SOAP; $1,250
South Valley Middle School – Coding and Robotics Club; $1,250
