Gilroy High School seniors received more than $790,000 in
scholarships
Gilroy High School seniors received more than $790,000 in scholarships
n By Heather Bremner Staff Writer
Gilroy –The woman with the long, chestnut hair and wide smile, became quite a familiar sight Tuesday evening, constantly springing from her seat to collect scholarship after scholarship.
But that Mayra Cervantes managed to secure about 12 scholarships, adding up to more than $12,000 worth of college cash, was no accident.
“I would just go in (to the counseling office) all the time, every week and pick up scholarships and send them,” said Cervantes.
The Gilroy High School student was one of many seniors who filled the theater stage and brought along a bevy of family members at the Class of 2006 Senior Scholarship and Awards Night. Cameras flashed and hands clapped as proud parents watched their children head to the podium to pick up checks and awards, tributes to the students’ diligence and dedication.
The combination of a broken air conditioner and packed quarters turned the event into a rather warm experience, but the audience stayed for the entire two-hours. Principal James Maxwell began the award ceremony by announcing the recipients of the President’s Education Award, an award given to students with a grade-point-average of 3.5 or higher.
Various academic and athletic awards, from the California Scholarship Federation Lifetime Members award, given to 24 students with grade point averages of 4.0 or higher and athlete of year awards presented to Armando Gonzalez, Kristen Campos, Karlie Sandoval and Bobby Best, were given out.
Many of the presenters gave emotional speeches before handing checks to the recipients, as they explained why the scholarship was established. Miki Kinkel, appeared to hold back tears, as she announced the names of the Erin Kinkel Memorial Scholarships. Miki and her husband Scott, established the scholarship in memory of their daughter Erin Kinkel, a GHS student who died in a car accident in 2004.
This year the couple awarded a third scholarship, called the Erin Kinkel Family Scholarship, to Emelie Castillo. After Kinkel died, Castillo helped found Think First an organization dedicated to reducing the number of car accidents and fatalities among teen drivers.
At the end of the ceremony, seniors poured off the stage and received hugs from proud family members. Cervantes’ mother, who continually rose from her seat to shoot pictures of her daughter, her father, and two siblings, waited for the high school senior to exit the stage.
The 18-year-old, who will head to San Jose State University in the fall, attributes much of her success to her family. Her parents, both Mexican immigrants didn’t graduate from college, her father didn’t even make it out of high school.
And now she’s raised enough money to pay for at least the first two years.
“My mom and my dad always stressed the importance of an education,” Cervantes said.
The 4.0 student chose SJSU because of its reputable civil engineering program (she wants to go into urban development and planning) and affordable price tag.
But even more importantly because it allows her to live at home and attend school.
“I wanted to stay close to home,” Cervantes said. “I didn’t want to leave my family. I would miss my mom’s cooking too much.”
Sampling of the top scholarships
Rensselaer Medal, $80,000
Marcus Im
Wagner Merit Scholarship, $40,000
Sarah Penkethman
UCB Regents, $30,000
Anne Hildebrand
Oxy College Scholarship, $28,944
Neil Martin
Tuskeegee University, $28,000
La’uren Anderson
Sonoma State Softball Scholarship, $27,200
Sarah Villar
Nanguard Academic
Scholarship, $24,000
Christina Azevedo
UC Santa Cruz Academic Scholarship, $16,000
Maurice Sowunmi
Linfield Academic
Scholarship, $8,000′
Ryan Chisolm
UCLA Alumni, $4,000
David Bress
*A complete list of Gilroy High School award and scholarship winners will be published in The Dispatch’s annual graduation section, scheduled for June 20.
