Rotary Scholarship winners: Back row, left to right Paul Smith, Co-Chair Scholarship Committee; Bruce McGee, President, Santa Paula Rotary Club; recipients - Nicolas Molina, Luis Vaca, Leticia Lemus, Miguel Molina, Lindsay Shield, Monica Shaneyfelt; Dr. David Gomez, Superintendent, SPUHSD; Adrina Ramos Chair Scholarship Committee; front row, left to right Recipients - Sharon Kim, Lucy Cancino, Sabrina Martinez, Diego Rico, Johnny Rodriguez, and Teodoro Navarro.

Rotary Scholarships: SPUHS seniors receive accolades, $13,000

May 18, 2007
Santa Paula High School
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesMore than a dozen outstanding Santa Paula Union High School seniors are off to college a little richer with $13,000 in scholarships awarded by the Rotary Club, which continued its tradition of making higher education a priority at its annual Scholarship Awards Banquet held Monday night at Logsdon’s.The Scholarship Committee received more than 60 applications that were gleaned down to 16 interviewees according to Chairwoman Adrina Ramos, who said that the full process took about two months.Members of the Scholarship Committee - Ramos, Cynthia Dunbar, Bob Orlando, Paul Smith and SPUHS Superintendent Dr. David Gomez - split duties and poured over student essays, reviewed transcripts, weighed extra-curricular activities and conducted oral interviews before making their selections.This year Rotarians donated generously again to the Rotary Scholarship Endowment Fund said President Bruce McGee.“How we raise the funds is we recognize members” for special - and not so special - events or happenings, such as Rotarian Ben Curtis, who when used as an example donated $100.Ramos, a SPUHS graduate and Rotary Scholarship recipient, said the program has been “built over the last 27 years” and is another example of Rotary ideals and goals.Rotarians abide to the 4-Way Test and “are proud to reward students who amplify” its message of generating truth, fairness, goodwill and happiness internationally.Dr. Gomez noted that SPUHS Board President Catherine Sepulveda and Trustee Tina Urias and Principal Tony Gaitan were present to witness “the cream of the crop” both scholastically and in the community receive scholarships recognizing their hard work and contributions.Santa Paula Elementary School District Superintendent Dr. Luis Villegas was the Keynote Speaker who urged the students to thank their parents and keep on their goal track.“I shook many of your hands” when the students graduated from Isbell Middle School and Dr. Villegas said he asked each where they were going to high school and college plans.
He urged students to remain competitive, to “remember what got you where you are,” and to encourage younger students to excel.“...you owe them that,” Dr. Villegas noted. “Power is only as great as what we can give back” to others who need encouragement or help.Johnny Rodriguez, who will be attending UC Davis was the top scholarship winner with $2,000.“He wowed us,” Ramos said of Rodriguez, whose SPUHS Grade Point Average is 3.9.Miguel Molina, who will be attending Stanford University, received the $1,000 Eb Tate Award, established by Tate’s family to honor the late Rotarian and reward those majoring in engineering.$500 scholarships were awarded to Luis Vaca, Lindsay Shield, Monica Shaneyfelt and Bernice Ruiz.Lucy Cancino, Leticia Lemus, Nicolas Medina, Teodoro Navarro and Sharon Kim - who attained a 4.4 GPA - each received $1,000 scholarships.Diego Rico - “Number one in his class,” said Ramos - received a $1,500 scholarship, as did Sabrina Martinez.Ramos noted that the students will be attending top-flight universities and “Rotary should be proud” of such “incredible” students.McGee said that credit is also due to Rotarians Chris Bartelson, Pete Fallini and David Stegman who manage the Endowment Fund that generates the interest that funds the annual scholarships.



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