Friday — May 21, 2004

Seniors earn rewards for hard work

Scholarships handed out at WRHS awards assembly

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More than $100,000 in local scholarships were presented Wednesday to Wood River High School seniors who are active in academics, community affairs and leadership.

"This senior class has been outstanding," said Principal Graham Hume. "They’ve done very well in academics, athletics and activities, and we’re exceptionally proud of them."

The Sawtooth Board of Realtors gave out six scholarships during Wednesday’s Wood River High School awards program in Hailey. Standing, from left, Rachel Odio, Colleen Mauro, Kodi Parsons, presenter Joanne Wetherell and Brandon Silvia. Back, from left, Alison Bray and Melinda Markin.  Express photo by David N. Seelig

The students were honored during the school's Scholarship Awards Ceremony for the 2003-04 year held in the Community Campus auditorium in Hailey.

A variety of local organizations and individuals gave generously to help the graduating seniors pursue further education and chase their pursuits.

Leading the way was the Hailey Rotary, which has awarded scholarships at the high school since 1967. The Hailey Rotary represented by Jennifer Corrao gave six, $1,000 grants Wednesday morning.

Brandon Silvia received the Lawrence Heagle Scholarship. Diki Sherpa accepted the Joe Fuld Scholarship. Kellen Kinghorn was the winner of the Dick Jones Scholarship, and Nicole Settle was awarded the Roberta McKercher Scholarship. In addition, Hailey Rotary Foundation grants went to Rachel Odio and Alison Bray.

Blaine County School District Superintendent Jim Lewis said that in three years 26 scholarships totaling $227,000 have been presented to children of the district teachers through Works of Grace Foundation, represented by local residents Theresa Castellano and Benjamin Wood.

Among the winners of the Ketchum/Sun Valley Rotary scholarships were, from left, Maria Vega, Melinda Markin, Joy Souligny, Kodi Parsons, Lindsay Niedrich and Amanda Moulton.  Express photo by David N. Seelig

Winner of a $10,000 Works of Grace scholarship was graduating senior Alex Bliss, and his classmate Colleen Mauro accepted a $4,500 grant. The foundation also gave grants to recent Wood River grads—$15,000 to Ariana Ward, and $5,000 to Paul Neville and Matthew Woodard.

Christina Arpp, Madeline Thies and Lindsay Niedrich were recipients of the First Bank of Idaho $1,000 scholarships presented by Jim Latta and Bryan Furlong. Jim Kino gave the DL Evans Bank Scholarships to Kari Riggs and Andrea Perez.

The Ketchum-Sun Valley Rotary Club represented by Pete Stommel and Stacey Smith gave a total $13,000 in scholarships to 10 students. The organization had 61 applicants for grants and interviewed 21 students.

Winners of $1,000 grants were Lindsay Niedrich, Kodi Parsons, Melinda Markin, Nicole Calzacorta, Rachel Odio, Amanda Moulton, Brandon Silvia, Matt Pruett and Maria Vega. And, the Dean Donaldson Memorial Scholarship worth $4,000 over four years went to Joy Souligny.

Connie Johnson gave the $1,200 Idaho Mountain Express Scholarship to Rachel Odio. This is the 17th year the Express has given grants to Blaine County students. In all, over $60,000 has been awarded since the Express program began in 1988.

Koree Hawkes, right, Wood River High senior, accepted the Coach Bob Shay Memorial Scholarship from Diane Shay, left, Wednesday morning in Hailey. Express photo by David N. Seelig

Joanne Wetherell announced the recipients of Sawtooth Board of Realtors $1,000 scholarships. The recipients were Melinda Markin, Brandon Silvia, Kodi Parsons, Rachel Odio, Alison Bray and Colleen Mauro.

Brandon Silvia accepted the Cornerstone Realty $500 "Lifelong Learner" award from Cindy Ward.

Winners of the Building Contractors of the Wood River Valley grants were Lindsay Niedrich, Brandon Silvia, Dawn Bird and Melinda Markin.

Camey Anderson and Kari Riggs got the $500 Blaine County Education Foundation scholarships, given to vocational/technical students. Melinda Markin earned a $500 grant from the 188-member Blaine County Education Association.

The $1,000 Josh Pollock Memorial Scholarships from Power Engineers were given to Chris LeBlanc and Danielle Maniere. Announcing the ninth annual award was Sheila Pollock, mother of the 1991 Wood River High graduate and University of Michigan student who died at age 22.

Diane and John Shay awarded the fifth Bob Shay Memorial Scholarship, given in memory of the influential Wood River High teacher who died in April 2000. Accepting the $1,000 Shay grant was Koree Hawkes.

Steve Pruitt and Kathy Wygle gave the fifth Boo Bushell Youth and Performing Arts Memorial Scholarships, $500 apiece, to Alyssa Kessler and Alison Bray.

The fourth annual Ruscitto/Latham/Blanton scholarship in the amount of $1,000 was presented by Jim Ruscitto and Buffalo Rixon to graduating senior Nicole Calzacorta.

Andrea Perez ($1,000) and Jessica Jaskowski ($500) received the Hailey Masonic Lodge Scholarships, presented by Mike Keas and Floyd McCracken.

The Student of Hispanic Origin $1,000 continuing scholarships provided by Barbara and Jim Cimino were given to Zarai Gomez and Brandon Silvia. Pat Weaver also presented the Cimino Scholarship. The winner was Kari Riggs, who will pursue nursing at the College of Southern Idaho.

With his sly sense of humor ("Believe me, if I ever thought 71 years ago when I graduated high school that I’d be up here and giving out money…ever…"), Rupert House announced the winner of the Upper Big Wood River Grange scholarship. The recipient was Macie Heath.

Representing Wood River Valley insurance agents, Kathleen Harrison revealed that the winners of the group’s third annual scholarships were Maria Vega ($1,500) and Kellen Kinghorn ($700).

The Wood River Odd Fellows and Rebekahs renewable scholarships were given to Brandon Silvia and Amy Lyttle. Presenting the sixth-year award was Debra Kronenberg.

Kimberly Hochendoner presented the Smith College Book Award for an outstanding junior to Britt VanPaepeghem, and she also gave the Colby College Book Award to another outstanding junior, Noah Brod.

This year, the seventh annual Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities program is awarding scholarships to Blaine County students in the visual, literary and performing arts.

The 10 recipients for summer programs were Hillary Elmore, Marne Elmore, Lara Jago, Adelaide Mason, Kaley Pruitt, Jessica Rice, Michael Sheehan, Matthew Sloan, Tyler Thiede and Erik Urban.

In addition, the Center’s Gay Weake Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 went to Joe Paisley to study at the Lionel Hampton School of Music at the University of Idaho.

Given for the first year was the Alan and Diane Johnson Memorial Scholarship, a $1,000 grant which was presented by Matt Johnson and Brian Higgason to Brandon Silvia.

Another first-year grant was the Brian J. Finegan Memorial Scholarship. The $1,000 grant was presented by Donna Finegan to Lara Jago. And the Mary Griffin Scholarship Award, $5,000 renewable grant, was presented to Cailin O’Farrell.

Other grants awarded were:

The Sonja Tarnay Scholarship was presented by Peggy Miller to Kodi Parsons. And Jennifer Spinelli accepted the F-Stop Scholarship.

In a special presentation, graduating senior Duane Miller received a certificate of appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy—an education worth $350,000.

 

Dollars, Friedman

A highlight of the assembly was the presentation of "Dollars for Scholars" $1,000 scholarships to 13 Wood River students. Much of the money was raised in one night earlier this year at a fund-raising seafood dinner, and that went for scholarships.

The $1,000 recipients were Elizabeth France, Lara Jago, Jessica Jaskowski, Danielle Maniere, Melinda Markin, Amanda Moulton, Lindsay Niedrich, Diki Sherpa, Brandon Silvia, Victoria Sluder, Malea Southward, Jennifer Spinelli and Madeline Thies.

In addition, Chante Caudle earned a $1,500 Dollars for Scholars grant.

Awarded for the 11th year were the Leon Friedman Memorial Scholarships. This year, 28 scholarships were awarded to Wood River High students. Over $20,000 was given in Blaine County by the Friedman fund.

The Friedman recipients in amounts from $500 to $1,000 were Lindsay Niedrich, Amanda Moulton, Natalie Green, Melinda Markin, Joy Souligny, Chris LeBlanc, Christina Arpp, Elizabeth France, Madeline Thies, Danielle Maniere, Emily Smith and Jessica Jaskowski;

Also, Riley Neff, Kodi Parsons, Malea Southward, Jennifer Spinelli, Colleen Mauro, Alison Bray, Michael Barbee, Dawn Bird, Matt Pruett, Nadine Hirner, Whit Harbaugh, Katie Bryson, Candice Trautwein, Macie Heath, Kari Riggs and Victoria Sluder.

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