For the week of May 29 - June 4, 2002

Wood River students collect scholarships

At awards assembly for 2001-02 year

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Deserving students who are active in academics, community affairs and leadership were honored May 22 in Hailey during Wood River High School's Scholarship Awards Ceremony for the 2001-02 year.

In his introduction, high school principal Graham Hume said nearly $200,000 in scholarships would be announced.

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

Here are the winners from the 95-minute assembly:

Superintendent Dr. Jim Lewis said over $100,000 was given to the children of 10 Blaine County School District teachers through The Works of Grace Foundation, which was represented by Theresa Castellano and Benjamin Wood.

The 10 teachers were Lee Cook, Polly McQueen, Pam Wells, Cathy Lind, Anne and Tim Neville, Wanda Baxter, Dagmar Salmon, Pat Peebles and Tom Goicoechea.

Wood River High School students honored were Evan Peebles and Ashley McQueen.

Recipients of the First Bank of Idaho/America’s Promise grants totaling $4,000 apiece over four years of college were Lacie Alfs and Travis Leach. They must maintain a 3.5 GPA. Presenting the grants for the second year was Tracie Kluge.

Generous community organizations, individuals and businesses issued thousands of dollars of scholarships to Wood River students in the jampacked high school auditorium.

Leading the way was the Hailey Rotary, which has awarded scholarships at the high school since 1967.

In recent years the Rotary has restructured its program to incorporate the long-standing Dick Jones Scholarship with new scholarship funds established in honor of Hailey boosters Roberta McKercher and Lawrence and Julia Heagle.

The Hailey Rotary represented by Chris Thompson gave $5,000 in grants to five students. They were Torrie Aaker, Lacie Alfs, Kent Grimes, Gariety Pruitt and Mackenzie Harbaugh.

The Ketchum/Sun Valley Rotary Club represented by Gabe Cherian and Marguerite Sowersby gave out a total $13,000 in scholarships to 10 students. The Dean Donaldson Memorial Scholarship worth $4,000 went to Jovita Pina.

Other Ketchum Rotary $1,000 scholarships were given to Lacie Alfs, Matt Beck, Cole Everman, Ashley Howe, Molly Keenan, Kristin Lyons, Ashley McQueen, Ashley Nilsen and Patrick O’Farrell.

Connie Johnson gave the $1,000 Idaho Mountain Express Scholarship to Jovita Pina. This is the 15th year the Express has given grants to Blaine County students. In all, $52,000 has been awarded since the Express program began in 1988.

Janine Bear and Gary Busch announced the recipients of $1,000 Sawtooth Board of Realtors grants. They were Ashlea Bartlett, Kristin Lyons, Jovita Pina and Cade Scanlon.

Kiele Kenny won the Paul's Market Scholarship given to a business student. Jamie King accepted the $500 Cornerstone Realty "Lifelong Learner" award from Cindy Ward.

Winners of the Building Contractors of the Wood River Valley grants were Patrick O’Farrell and Collin Kinder ($1,000 apiece); Ashlea Bartlett, Torrie Aaker and Evan Peebles ($500 each). Presenters were Cindy and Bob Kesting.

Jovita Pina earned the $500 Blaine County Education Association (BCEA) scholarship, given by the local teachers' organization. The BCSD Education Foundation vocational scholarships went to Michael Tirado (auto mechanics) and Tara Rushton (nursing).

The $1,000 Josh Pollock Memorial Scholarship from Power Engineers was given to Amanda Engel. Announcing the seventh annual award was Sheila Pollock, mother of the 1991 Wood River High graduate and University of Michigan student who died at age 22.

The Pollock Fund also gave a $500 inspirational award to Jovita Pina, who is headed for University of Puget Sound.

On behalf of Barbara and Jim Cimino, the Wood River Student of Hispanic Origin scholarship went to Michael Tirado. Presenter Pat Weaver also handed the $1,000 James Cimino grants to Jameson McDonald and Brian Smith.

John Shay awarded the third 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 Gariety Pruitt.

Kathy Wygle and Steve Pruitt gave the third Boo Bushell Youth and Performing Arts Scholarships worth $500 apiece to Sharon Barto and Mackenzie Harbaugh.

The second annual Ruscitto/Latham/Blanton $1,000 scholarship was presented by Thomas Rixon and Scott Heiner to graduating senior Amanda Engel.

Sara Londos ($1,000) and Ashley Nilsen ($500) received the Hailey Masonic Scholarship, presented by Ted Angle. Rupert House announced the winner of the Upper Big Wood River Grange scholarship as Aspen Wenglikowski.

Representing Wood River Valley insurance agents, Kendall Kinghorn revealed that the winner of the group’s inaugural $3,000 scholarship was Lindsey Avelar.

The Wood River Odd Fellows and Rebekahs $1,000 scholarship was given to Jovita Pina. Presenting the award was Petra Morrison.

Ann Christensen presented the Smith College Book Award for an outstanding junior to Ariana Ward. The Colby College Book Award was given to another junior, Robin Kearns.

A highlight was the presentation of "Dollars for Scholars" scholarships to six Wood River students. They were Torrie Aaker, Matt Beck, Patrick O’Farrell, Ashley Howe, Kristen Nelson and Brian Smith.

Heather Crocker announced the winners of study grants from the Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities. This year, the fifth annual program is awarding over $17,000 to 16 Blaine County students in the visual, literary and performing arts, Crocker said.

Recipients were Mackenzie Harbaugh ($2,000 theater studies), Kali Orr ($1,960 dance), Kaley Pruitt ($1,100 dance), Christina Arpp ($1,000 dance), Daniel Moore ($1,000 music studies), Alison Bray ($635 dance), Lara Jago ($335 dance) and Kali Jo Selner ($250 dance).

Awarded for the ninth year were the Leon Friedman Memorial Scholarships, from presenters Janet Key, Debrah Magee and Kelli Young. This year, $35,000 was given out.

The Friedman recipients were Kristen Nelson, Sharon Barto, Kent Grimes, Ashley Nilsen, Ashley McQueen, Patrick O’Farrell, Torrie Aaker, Amanda Engel, Cole Everman, Matt Beck, Gariety Pruitt and Kristin Lyons;

Also, Nic Nottingham, Erin Elgee, Jovita Pina, Aspen Wenglikowski, Molly Keenan, Travis Leach, Sarah Browning, Kiele Kenny, Collin Kinder, Lindsey Avelar, David Haisley and Ashley Howe;

Evan Peebles, Erika Swanger, Mackenzie Harbaugh, Vince Nagashima, Kipp Mills, Tara Rushton, Brian Squires, Kathleen Caldwell, Heather Harder, Jameson McDonald, Sara Londos and Lacie Alfs.

The list of institutional scholarship winners announced by Kimberly Hochendoner started with Harvard-bound Andy McCollum, who boasted nearly-perfect SAT scores and won a $2,500 National Merit scholarship.

Others given scholarships by colleges were B.J. Adams, Austin Amaya, Lindsey Avelar, Ashlea Bartlett, Sharon Barto, David Bauer, Jeff Bolton, Kathleen Caldwell, Erin Elgee, Amanda Engel, Cole Everman and Kent Grimes;

Also, Jay Harakay, Mackenzie Harbaugh, Will Hemmings, Kristine Hilt, Kiele Kenny, Travis Leach, Kristin Lyons, Tim Martin, Jessica Maxwell, Zac Mayhew, Lucia McLaughlin, Ashley McQueen, Vince Nagashima, Kristen Nelson, Ashley Nilsen and Nic Nottingham;

Patrick O’Farrell, Evan Peebles, Jovita Pina, Gariety Pruitt, Tara Rushton, Brian Squires, Alicen Stonebraker, Matt VanZeipel, Aspen Wenglikowski, Laurel Williams and Ricky Williams.

 

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