Wednesday night's Wood River High School Scholarship Assembly for the 2008-09 school year started with the introduction of a graduating senior who wants to be an aviator.
Ashleigh Share, the daughter of Chris Share and Carolyn Price of Hailey, is the valedictorian of this year's Wood River High graduating class of about 160 seniors. She is also a member of the Class of 2013 at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Capt. Herb Alexander of Sun Valley, a doctor who spent 27 years in the U.S. Navy, officially presented Share with an offer of appointment to the Naval Academy located in Annapolis, Md.
Share was one of only four Idaho students, three coming directly out of high school, who were accepted to the Naval Academy for the Class of 2013, Capt. Alexander told the audience. Across the country there were over 15,000 pre-selected applicants for appointments, and only 1,200 were accepted.
It takes $350,000 to educate a midshipman over four years, and then the graduate must complete a five-year obligation with the U.S. Navy, he said.
Share will be one of two student speakers at the Wood River graduation ceremony Wednesday, May 27 in Hailey.
While Share is going to Annapolis, another graduating senior is headed to Norway next year. Wood River guidance counselor Donna Sipe said that Mary Van Zeipel received a full-ride scholarship to study music next year at Hogtun Folkehogskole in Torvitbukt.
Sipe said Van Zeipel is one of only five U.S. students to receive the "gap year" personal and academic development grant that goes predominantly to students from Norway.
Stepping up even in a bad economy, about 30 organizations, memorial funds and individuals gave thousands of dollars in grants Wednesday to Wood River seniors and juniors active in academics, community affairs and leadership.
Megan Hayes received the $1,000 Idaho Mountain Express Scholarship. This is the 22nd year the Express has given grants to Blaine County students in three different schools. Over $85,000 has been given to local students since Express scholarships began in 1988.
Also leading the way was the Hailey Rotary, which has awarded scholarships at the high school since 1967. Hailey Rotary president Jeff Engelhardt gave 20 scholarships at Wood River. He said his committee had over 80 applicants and decided on 24 scholarships for Blaine County students.
Rotary grants at WRHS went to Madeline Flade, Chelsey Souligny, Amy Tamayo, Madeleine Cordovano, Matthew Gappmayer, Angela Coleman, Carolyn Poole, Racheal McGinnis, Greg LeBlanc, Luis Gonzalez, Hannah Odio, Lauren Prentice, Zachary Bjorkman, Hanna Curran, Devan Annan, Shelby Grubbs, Kahli Steenstra-Toussaint, Nicole Fisher, Samantha Engel and Russell Wilson.
The Ketchum/Sun Valley Rotary had 40 applicants and gave eight $1,000 scholarships. Presenter William Duke distributed grants to Veronica Bruess, Devan Annan, Julia Bowman, Hanna Curran, Samantha Engel, Megan Hayes, Carolyn Poole and Chelsey Souligny.
Four $1,000 recipients of Sawtooth Board of Realtors scholarships from WRHS were Chelsey Souligny, Tanya Greenwood, Kahli Steenstra-Toussaint and Zachary Bjorkman.
Since 1988 the Realtors have presented over $160,000 in scholarships including six $1,000 grants to Blaine County students this year, board president Sonja Huntsman said.
Another highlight of the one-hour and 40-minute assembly were "Dollars for Scholars" scholarships in the amounts of $1,000 going to 17 students. Presenter Audrey Bashaw said the local program, founded in 1995, has presented nearly $350,000 in scholarship money to Blaine County high school students.
"Dollars for Scholars" recipients from Wood River were Elvia Moya, Piper Andrews, Rocio Patlan, Conor Benson, Nicole Fisher, Madeline Flade, Alexandra Funk, Tanya Greenwood, Chelsea Hamel, Vanessa Hendricks, Lyndsey Lascheck, Carolyn Poole, Lauren Prentice, Chelsey Souligny, Kahli Steenstra-Toussaint, Amy Tamayo and Gregory Wakefield.
Awarded for the 16th year were Leon Friedman Memorial Scholarships, which have amounted to over $500,000. This year, presenter Jeff Mackay said there were 24 applicants and $24,000 in grants awarded.
Friedman recipients at WRHS were Anthony Williamson, Lyndsey Lascheck, Julia Bowman, Chelsey Souligny, Samantha Engel, Alison Freund, Tanya Greenwood and Conor Benson.
Check the June 3 Local Life for more photos of winners.
Other awards and winners
The $2,000 Josh Pollock Memorial Scholarship from Power Engineers (13th year): John (Jack) Reidy.
Bob Shay Memorial $1,000 Scholarship from the David Ketchum American Legion Post (10th year): Devan Annan.
Memorial awards were presented in honor of Katie Bryson, Barbara Cimino and Wende Thornton.
Shelby Grubbs (art) and Racheal McGinnis (swimming) accepted the Katie Bryson Memorial Scholarships. Shelby Grubbs also earned the Wende Lee Thornton Memorial grant. The Barbara Cimino Memorial Scholarships went to Thomas Torres, Kevin Isaacs, Cierra Thomas and Alexander Jones.
Other memorial grants were:
Alan and Diane Johnson $1,000 Memorial Scholarship (6th year): Kahli Steenstra-Toussaint. The Jill Palm Memorial Scholarship: Shelby Grubbs. The St. Luke's Wood River Foundation/Lori Martin Scholarship: Misha McGonigal and Gabriela Oropeza.
Many organizations and businesses contributed grants.
Building Contractors of the Wood River Valley/Gregg Stowe Scholarships: Nicholas Turco, Kaylee Baker, Angela Coleman and Michale Brunker.
DL Evans Bank Scholarships: Nicole Fisher and Megan Hayes. Paula's Girl: Sarah Dennis. Dave Wilson/Jim Woodyard Construction Scholarships: Nicholas Turco and Samantha Engel.
From Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities: Chris Clark, Mariah Davis, Elizabeth Dion, Brita Gaeddert, Nicole Gillette, Nina Hirner, Nick Howard, Andre Keys, Nathan Kniffen, Yosilin Manturano Carhuamaca, Jake Miczulski, Scott Randall, Sam Schwab, Stephanie Sloan, Annette Taylor, Stephanie Turner, Delaney Willey, Hanna Curran, Alison Freund, Racheal McGinnis, Max Monahan and Russell Wilson.
Wood River Medical Society: Chelsea Hamel. Surfing Heritage Foundation: Nicole Fisher. Third annual Ketchum/Hailey Eye Center Award: Kaylee Baker.
Blaine County Education Foundation scholarships to vocational/technical students: Devan Annan and Ruby Nava. Blaine County Education Association $500 grants: Nicholas Turco, Devan Annan and Carolyn Poole.
Ninth annual Ruscitto/Latham/Blanton $1,000 scholarship: Alison Freund. Upper Big Wood River Grange Scholarship: Dixie Hoyt.
Smith College Book Award for an outstanding junior: Taylor Coiner. Colby College Book Award to an outstanding junior: Brendan Freund.
Sonya Tarney Scholarship: Alison Freund. KTVB/United Dairymen of Idaho Distinguished Students of the Week: Devan Annan, Alison Freund, Carolyn Poole, Samantha Engel, Chelsey Souligny and Ashleigh Share.
Student of Hispanic Origin Continuing Scholarships from Jim and Barbara Cimino: Junior Hidalgo, Luis Gonzalez, Rocio Patlan and Elvia Moya.
This year, the Wood River Odd Fellows and Rebekahs Scholarship Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation gave two new $2,000 scholarships for 2009-10 to Georgia Kyle (College of Western Idaho) and Danny Mills (College of Southern Idaho). They are Silver Creek Alternative School students.
Also, the endowment fund established in 1996 by Alturas Lodge No. 13, IOOF, renewed college scholarships for 2009-10 to Boise State University student Jozey Mitcham ($4,000) and College of Southern Idaho transfer student Kaylee Merritt ($2,000).
Navy Capt. Herb Alexander of Sun Valley presented Ashleigh Share with an offer of appointment to the Naval Academy located in Annapolis, Md. Share is the valedictorian of this year’s Wood River High graduating class. Photo by David N. Seelig
