Community clubs honor local graduates with scholarships
With the end of school fast approaching, there are a lot of happy kids in and around Clayton. And none are happier than the handful of high school seniors receiving scholarships from local businesses and organizations.
Clayton Business & Community Association
Since its inception, the CBCA Scholarship program has awarded more than $200,000 in college scholarships to graduating seniors from Clayton. This year the CBCA awarded a total of $25,000 in college scholarships to six graduating seniors from Clayton Valley Charter High School and one from Berean Christian High School. Twenty-five applications were received for three types of scholarships: Academic, Arts & Music, and Community Service. Thirteen students were interviewed.
Michael Kerr of CVCHS was awarded a $5,000 Academic scholarship because of his straight-A academic performance, excellent essay responses related to his father’s work ethic and his own. As a checker at K-Mart, Michael laments the limited opportunities that technology such as self-checkout leaves for young people to engage customers and develop interpersonal communication skills. Michael’s own work ethic, grades, and extracurricular activities combined with an impressive interview earned him the top award. He will attend UC Santa Barbara.
Another CVCHS senior, Nicholas Bazan, won a $4000 academic scholarship. The committee particularly liked his essay critical of the overarching role social media plays in society. He will attend UC San Diego.
CVCHS’s Joshua Warzecha, also a straight-A student, won another $4,000 scholarship for academics. He impressed the committee beyond his academics the sharpness of his interview skills. He will attend Dartmouth College.
Demi DiQuattro, a CVCHS senior, won $3,000 for an art and music scholarship. She plans to major in art at Chico State and to teach it afterwards.
Jason Fernandes of CVCHS also won an art and music grant. Despite his superior grades, what impressed the committee was his outstanding leadership in the music program at his school, including Wind Ensemble and being selected as “Drum Major” for the school Marching Band.
Lauren Valory, CVCHS, won a $3,000 community scholarship, for her passion for community service, both locally and in Africa.
Briana Pearsall, a Berean senior was also awarded a $3,000 community scholarship. Also a straight-A student, she impressed the committee with her missions work, and was the only applicant with a stated goal of majoring in English Education. She plans to attend Biola University.
American Association of University Women
The Clayton Branch of The American Association of University Women (AAUW) presented a $1,000 scholarship to Katrina Su at the Clayton Valley Charter High School Senior Awards dessert night on May 8.
Katrina was honored for her academic achievements and for her participation in school groups and community service. She is the treasurer of CVCHS Senior Women, president of the Multicultural Club and the project coordinator of the California Scholarship Federation and is a member of the Key Club and the Interact Club.
Her career goal is to be a pediatrician and plans to begin her education studying Public Health at The University of California.
CVCHS Wrestling
Each year, Pete Laurence, a local real estate broker and a Clayton Valley High School alum honors a young athlete from the CV wrestling program who exemplifies the qualities that wrestling brings out: competitiveness, conditioning, enthusiasm, team spirit and good sportsmanship
This year’s recipient is Concord resident Matthew McCoy, who is graduating with a 3.8 GPA. He has won the Coaches Award all three years he has wrestled, was chosen as MVP in 2012, and was a three-time captain. He is also an MVP for the CVCHS cross-country team and a volunteer for several community events. He will attend DVC in the fall.
Clayton Valley Woman’s Club
The CVWC last year created a Diablo Valley College Scholarship for a woman with financial need, excellent grades, community involvement, and leadership skills who is transferring to a four year college or university in the fall to pursue a degree.
The scholarship recipient for 2013 is Lissette Alaniz. She is graduating from DVC this spring and will attend the UC Berkeley in the fall to pursue a degree in architecture.