SHS seniors awarded $385K in scholarships
About 250 students, parents, school staff, and community members were in attendance at the 2014 Socorro High School scholarship awards ceremony held last Tuesday at the Warrior Dome.
Thanks to generous community support, several of the students of the Socorro Class of 2014 will have some financial support to attend college. Overall, 60 scholarships totaling $385,000 were awarded with the local scholarships totaling over $156,000 alone.
SHS Principal Jennifer Molina was the mistress of ceremonies along with counselors Peter Scherer and Veronica Montero. Molina kicked off the ceremony as she welcomed Superintendent Randall Earwood, Assistant Superintendent Anton Salome and board members Ann Sheills and Kimberly Gonzales.
Molina expressed her appreciation to all the parents for encouraging and supporting their students to perform at their absolute best during their years of study at SHS.
“I would also like to say thank you to all the local businesses and individuals for sponsoring these scholarships on an annual basis that helps our students accomplish their academic goals,” she said.
Many of the seniors are taking advanced classes and even classes at New Mexico Tech. Molina spoke highly of these students.
“These students are highly motivated, intelligent, and I know they will all be highly successful. They have made all the right choices to stay on the right track for success. I feel that they are prepared for the next level of education and will represent their community well,” she added.
Some students were pleasantly surprised at the scholarships they received.
“I am really happy; I can’t believe, and still can’t, the amount of support I received,” said Clara Baeza.
Baeza was a big winner as she walked away with numerous scholarships that night. Jared Lam said that he “was nervous at first, a little worried, but when he was awarded the tablet from Mesa representative Steven Montoya, he had to check again in the morning to make sure.”
The parents of these recipients were just as excited. Sarah Frail said that her parents were “pretty happy and proud of me.” John and Ananda Benson also spoke similar sentiments about their son Will, who is also the student body president.
Shania Berger was awarded athlete of the year.
“I was hoping to get some scholarships, but I was pretty excited about this award; so were my parents,” she said.
Molina praised another Lady Warrior athlete in the likes of Ashley Pyke.
“She did very well for having so much on her plate. Ashley plays three sports back to back, takes advanced classes as well as courses from New Mexico Tech,” she said. “This is a lot for someone her age to balance at that age.”
Deanna Blair was confident she would receive some awards, but was surprised a few she didn’t expect.
“This money will help with my tuition and fees to satisfy my unmet cost until the lottery scholarship kicks in,” she said.
Elija Ware was relieved and pretty happy because she didn’t expect to receive the scholarship from New Mexico State University.
“I received more that I thought I would,” she mentioned.
Molina was delighted at the overall attendance at the ceremony, especially with the students’ younger siblings watching.
“This award ceremony is indicative of the hard work and dedication these students were committed to. It serves as an excellent example for the younger kids to learn, so that they can also push themselves to their very best,” she said.
Awards and scholarships
Athletic Awards: Zebulin Esquivel, Shania Berger
Aerojet/GenCorp-regional science fair awards: Mia Salome, Teresa Lucero
Aerojet/GenCorp: Elias Flores
Alice (Griego) Vega Memorial Scholarship: Clara Baeza
AUI Scholarship: Sarah Frail
Basin Electric: Deanna Blair
Belen Elks National Foundation: Adonis Lozano
Beta Sigma Phi Scholarship: Jared Lam
Betty Clark Memorial – AAUW: Deanna Blair, Clara Baeza
Bhasker Medical Clinic: Shania Berger, Zebulin Esquivel, Ashley Pyke, Joseph Cutchall
Carlos Griego Memorial: Shania Berger, Will Benson, Ashley Pyke, Jacob Lewis
Clint Benjamin: Deanna Blair
CNM: Zebulin Esquivel, Vicente Soto
Comcast Cable: Sarah Frail
Consuelo Chello Romero Vigil: Jaedyn Gutierrez
Dan Jones Memorial Scholarship: Jacob Lewis
Don Tripp: Jacob Lewis, Ashley Pyke
D. Roy Baca Scholarship: Quintessa Guengerich
Foreign Exchange Student Award: Noah Rickenbacher
Eagles Club Scholarship: Stephen Matthew Jojola, Maria Alderete, Ashley Pyke, Shania Berger
Belen Elks National Foundation: Adonis Lozano
Edward E Torres Scholarship: Clara Baeza
Evelyn Gresswell Scholarship: Clara Baeza
FASFA Five: Sarah Moncrief
Foreign Exchange: Noah Rickenbacher
George P Griego Award: Casper Huang, Maria Carilli
Grinell College in Iowa: Julia Cory
Horatio Alger: Deanna Blair
IRIS PASSCAL Scholarship: Jared Lam
John and Dodie Knight Award: Tamara Chavez
Kim Gonzales: Gregory Stover
Lions Club Scholarship: Clara Baeza
MESA: Jared Lam
Michael Bursum Award: Sergey Magedov
NAVY: Kash Winningham
NM Reciprocal Scholarship-Fort Lewis College: Elija Ware
New Mexico Tech: Isabella Flores, Elias Flores, Jacob Lewis, Joseph Cutchall, Quintessa Guengerich, Gregory Stover, William Benson
NMHU Presidential Gold: Julia Cory, Gregory Stover
NMHU Presidential Silver: Elija Ware
NMHU Deans: Clara Baeza, Mariah Zamora, Arely Acosta, Maria Alderete, Erika Leon, Talia Beatty
NMHU-Freshmen Success: Ethan Smith, Natasha Otero, Amanda Baca
NMHU-College Incentives: Alexis Chavez, Vicente Soto
NM Sheriff’s Association: Maria Alderete, Ashley Pyke, Clara Baeza
NMSU: Jacob Lewis, Megan Sandoval, Erika Leon, Elija Ware, Isabella Flores, Makayla Jacobs
NRAO: Sarah Frail, William Benson
Pauline Jaramillo Board of Education: Marissa Lopez, Maria Alderete, Natalie Paz
Phil Montoya Scholarship: Tamara Chavez, Jared Lam, Jerrick Montoya
Polvadera Water Association: Erika Leon, James Howell, Makayla Jacobs, Clara Baeza
Positive Outcomes: Jacob Lewis, Erika Leon, Clara Baeza, Makayla Jacobs, Ashley Pyke, Sarah Moncrief
Renaissance Award/Scholarships: Greg Stover, Clara Baeza, James Howell
Robert & Eloisa Baca Award: Gilbert Padilla, Mia Salome
Robert & Eloisa Baca Scholarship: James Howell, Quintessa Guengerich
Rotary Club Scholarship: Clara Baeza, Ashley Pyke
Seery Award: Cathryn Wellborn
Seery Scholarship: Quintessa Guengerich
SHS/WNMU Auto Tech: Summer Allen, Alq Fuierer, Katana Garcia, Carlos Gomez, Freddie Lam, David Morales, Rondall Sauls, Ramon Stetson, Gregory Stover, Colton Wheeler
Socorro County Farm Bureau: Megan Sandoval, Makayla Jacobs
Socorro Electric, Socorro Electric Coop., Inc., Basin Electric
TriState: Sarah Frail, William Benson, Shania Berger, Makayla Jacobs, Deanna Blair
Staters: Sarah Moncrief
Turn About 360 (Neil Sabol): Tamara Olivia Chavez
United Blood Services: Deanna Blair, William Brannan, Raymond Chavez, Ariel Dillon, Sarah Frail, Bernadett Garcia, Shania Mishoe, Michaela Montoya, Ethan Smith, Elija Ware, Derrick Prieto
University of Maryland Presidential Scholarship: Sarah Frail
UNM Bridge to Success: Will Benson, Elija Ware, Deanna Blair, Ariel Dillon
UNM Presidential Scholarship: Jared Lam
UNM Scholars: Quintessa Guengerich
UNM Valencia: Alexis Chavez, Amanda Baca, Amber Willie, Benjamin Davila, Bernadett Garcia, Carlos Gomez, Clara Baeza, Destiney DeLos Santos, Loren Gonzales, Maria Alderete, Mariah Zamora, Marissa Lopez, McKayla Bailey, Sarah Moncrief, Stephen Jojola, Victoria Esquibel, Natalie Paz, Jaedyn Gutierrez, Alyssa Vargas, Jessica Pino
WNMU: Deanna Blair
World War II Veterans: Angel Anaya, Megan Sandoval