Blaine County School District Acting Superintendent John Blackman said it best in his closing comments Monday during the Wood River High School Scholarship Awards Ceremony in the commons area of the Hailey school.
He said, “It is a privilege to witness the generosity and belief shown here in the educational process and in our young people. We’re proud of the character of these students.”
Nearly 40 organizations, memorial funds and individuals announced grants to students active in academics, community affairs and leadership at Wood River High.
Scholarships announced Monday were:
The Lewis Legacy Scholarships given in the name of Dr. Jim Lewis, Blaine County School District superintendent from 1999-2009, were presented to two students planning to go into education. The recipients were Chloe Lichtenberg and Sandra Murillo.
Leading the way was the Hailey Rotary, which has awarded scholarships at the high school since 1967. Hailey Rotary’s Brian Alley announced 19 scholarships totaling $19,000, including several $1,000 memorial grants. Hailey Rotary is awarding 24 grants worth $24,000 in Blaine County this school year.
The Rotary’s Roberta McKercher Scholarship went to Shelby Barnes. Emilia Bingham received the Lawrence Heagle Scholarship. Shayna Gelskey accepted the Dick Jones Scholarship. The Dex Gannon Scholarship given in memory of the 2008 WRHS graduate was presented to Bridget Kernan.
Other Hailey Rotary grants went to Laurel Gaeddert, Mary Petzke, Cooper Bailey, Annie Ashfield, Eron Bates, Chloe Davis, Miguel Velasco Martinez, Mariah Stout, Augusta Catherin-Sauer, Nora Jones, Marcia Smith, Lauren Jacobs, Alexa Browne, Lisa Hart and Jose Ortiz.
The Ketchum/Sun Valley Rotary represented by its president Jim Mason gave nine $1,000 scholarships. Recipients were Annie Ashfield, Cooper Bailey, Shelby Barnes, Eron Bates, Gus Conrad, Shayna Gelskey, Bridget Kernan, Chloe Lichtenberg and Mary Petzke.
Recipients of Sun Valley Board of Realtors $1,000 scholarships were Mariah Stout, Shayna Gelskey, Bridget Kernan, Shelby Barnes and Mary Petzke.
Awarded for the 21st year were Leon Friedman Memorial Scholarships. This year’s 10 Friedman recipients were Caleb Garvin, Annie Ashfield, Ruby Payette, Annika Shultz, Mariah Stout, Shayna Gelskey, Bridget Kernan, Gus Conrad, Patrick Bohl and Kalen Moffett.
Blaine County Education Foundation (BCEF) Executive Director Kathleen McCabe presented several grants including the BCEF/AGL Foundation Merit Scholarship given to Annie Ashfield ($2,500, four years).
Given for the third year were the Jean Todhunter Scholarships. Recipients of $1,000 grants were Caleb Garvin and Marcia Smith. A second-year BCEF award called the First Generation Scholarship, given by an anonymous donor, went to Caleb Garvin, $2,500 for four years.
And the Helen Jeffrey Memorial Scholarship for strong interest in environment was presented to Mariah Stout.
· Sun Valley Center for the Arts grants for high school arts and humanities went to these Wood River students: Caleb Garvin (Gay V. Weake Scholarship), Kenza Alaoui, Than Atienza, Abigail Barton, Sam Brown, Waverly Brown, Michelle Casas, Zoe Gibson, Indie Landon, Taylor Lenane, Tiana McDonald, Sienna Miley, Haylee Pettit, Spenser Pfau, Emma Poe, Ashlie Pulleiro, Gina Pulleiro, Joel Rinckwald, Lucas Robertson and Nathan Stouffer.
(See more photos of the award winners in the May 7 Local Life edition of the Express.)
Other award recipients
Josh Pollock Memorial $2,000 scholarships from Power Engineers (presented for the 18th year): Chandler Gifford and Maxwell Mihalic.
The Bob Shay Memorial Scholarship for $1,000 from the David Ketchum American Legion Post (15th year): Janel Passey. Barbara Cimino Memorial Scholarships went to Lane Payette and Krystal Rodriguez.
Nine students received Student of Hispanic Origin Continuing Scholarships from the late Jim Cimino. Recipients were Miguel Velasco Martinez, Adriana Perez Leal, Hector Omar O’Campo Vivas, Michel Nunez Chavez, Anthonya Magdalena Lizarraga, Maria de Jesus Aguayo Flores, Cesar Velasco-Deloera, Katia Reyes and Ilse Guadalupe Reyes Orozco.
Bridget Kernan accepted the Ketchum PEO Chapter scholarship and Meghan Kehrer received the PEO Hailey grant.
Dual Immersion scholarships went to Riley Kilmartin Schmidt ($1,000) and Miguel Velasco Martinez ($2,500 for four years).
Other memorial grants were:
The second Joe Wiederrick Memorial Scholarship of $500 was given by Lisa Hart in memory of the 2012 Wood River High graduate. The first Cindy Lawson Kesting Memorial Scholarship went to Mary Petzke.
Alan and Diane Johnson Memorial Scholarship (11th year): Gus Conrad. Jill Palm Memorial Scholarship: Jacob Halopoff. The Wende Lee Thornton Memorial Scholarship from the Thornton family: Tyler Spence.
Tyler Shelly Memorial $1,000 Music Scholarship honoring the memory of the 2002 WRHS graduate (10th year): Caleb Garvin.
Many organizations, groups and businesses contributed grants.
Wood River Arts Alliance Merit Scholarships: Annie Ashfield and Valerie Olsen.
Bellevue Parent Association Scholarship: Janel Passey. DL Evans Hometown Community Bank Scholarship: Bridget Kernan. Blaine County Progressives Scholarship for $1,000: Shayna Gelskey.
Blaine County Education Association scholarships: Chloe Lichtenberg and Mary Petzke. Vocational/Technical Scholarships: Ilse Reyes, Nora Jones and Annika Shultz. Sonja Tarney Scholarship: Caleb Garvin.
Kiwanis Club Scholarships for $500: Shelby Barnes and Max Mihalic. Kiwanis Club Joe Wiederrick Memorial Scholarship: Jose Ortiz.
Building Contractors of the Wood River Valley/Gregg Stowe Scholarships: Gus Conrad. Wilson/Woodyard Scholarships: Chloe Davis and Jacob Halopoff.
Dick Metz Surfing Heritage Foundation $1,000 Scholarships: Sydney Thomsen at WRHS and Ramon Galaviz, Silver Creek High School.
Upper Big Wood River Grange $1,000 Scholarship: Alexandra Taylor. Vision Source of Ketchum and Hailey: Ashley Shardlow and Shayna Gelskey.
Smith College Book Awards for outstanding juniors: Rory Cole and Abigail Barton.
United Dairymen of Idaho Distinguished Student Awards: Ty Reinemann, Andrew Morse, Matt Reidy, Mary Petzke, Annie Ashfield and Chandler Gifford. Academic All-Stars: Andrew Morse and Matt Reidy.
