“When you take a look at the students’ applications and letters, you see they are certainly a gifted group,” noted De Vita, who matched the students’ chosen fields and schools they plan to attend and compared them to members of the Santa Paula Rotary Club. “I was trying to make a connection between our Rotary Club, which is so supportive of the youth of our community, and how these graduates are on a similar track and will be the next generation of leaders,” De Vita later said. “These students will be the next generation of leaders... and how proud those family and friends” who attended the event were of their graduates. “The Scholarship Banquet was a great community event.”Mario Cisneros received a $1,500 scholarship, which the future UCSB student will use to study civil or construction. The Rotary Interact Club member helped the youth group in becoming more organized.Maria Garcia (who wants to become a civil engineer and hopes to attend Cal Poly) and Elizabeth Velasco (headed to UCSD to pursue her career as an elementary school teacher) each were awarded $1,250 scholarships. Awarded $1,000 scholarships were Sergio Alamillo (UCSB, electrical engineering), Lupita Castillo (RN, CSUCI), Chris Cronin (Ed Roina Music Award, Ventura College), Gloria Flores (UCSD, pediatrician), Marisol Fregoso (medical/biological science, UCSB), Jennifer Gonzales (UCSB, business administration), Esteban Minero (political science and university hunting), Irene Sandoval (biology/medicine UCLA), and Maria Zacarias (UCD, biochemistry/medicine).Smith acknowledged that scholarship amounts are “not enough to complete school, but we feel it’s a start and an investment by Rotary in our future leaders.”At the conclusion of the banquet, Rotary Song Master Rob Sawyer - a SPHS graduate - led the crowd in the singing the school’s alma mater, which ends “When our high school days are over, carefree hours are through, linger on our golden memories, and our love for you.”
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Pictured above are the Rotary Scholarship winners. These outstanding Santa Paula High School graduating seniors were awarded $15,000 in scholarships by the Rotary Club, which each year helps to ensure the future of the brightest and the best. The Santa Paula Rotary Scholarship Awards Banquet was held May 19 at Logsdon’s restaurant. |
Rotary Club awards $15,000 in scholarships to SPHS graduates
June 13, 2008
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesMore than a dozen outstanding Santa Paula High School graduating seniors were awarded $15,000 in scholarships by the Rotary Club, which each year helps to ensure the future of the brightest and the best. The Santa Paula Rotary Scholarship Awards Banquet was held May 19 at Logsdon’s restaurant, where families and friends cheered their graduates on.Rosa Navarro, who grew up at Limoneira Ranch, will be studying Environmental Engineering at UC Davis with a $2,000 boost from Rotarians, who selected her for the top scholarship. The number one student in the Class of 2008, Rosa attained a GPA of 4.67 even though she was involved in sports and served as the ASB president and class president. Rosa’s award led the way for the other 14 students who received Rotary Scholarships.Committee Chair Paul Smith told the crowd that the Rotary Club has “established 26 years of tradition” with the annual scholarships, which grew from only $600 in 1982 to the $15,000 total awarded to the latest graduates. The selection process is based on grade point average, essays and interviews, and Smith said that key words in the process are “articulate, motivated, desire, determined, leaders, confident, passion and role models... the interviews had seven questions” that expanded on the students’ essays.“It’s truly amazing” how the students have balanced school, community, part-time employment, family and home life, and when asked all the students answered that “it was the supporters here tonight” who have the greatest impact on their lives. “Awardees can relax,” Smith noted. “You will not be asked to speak... you did your part at the interview!”President Mitch Stone noted the devotion that Rotary has always demonstrated to the betterment of area youth and its steadfast support and help to graduating seniors.Santa Paula Union High School District Superintendent Dr. David Gomez and Santa Paula Elementary School District Superintendent Elizabeth De Vita also addressed the students.
