Top Denair High School Students Awarded Nearly $16,000 in Combined Scholarships

Hector Obando and Eva Varni

Submitted by Denair High School

There were smiles, even a few tears, and plenty of hugs and applause Friday night at the Coyote Center as Denair High School honored its top students.

Nearly $16,000 in combined scholarships were announced, money that will be important as the members of the Class of 2017 continue their educations in college.

Eva Varni earned the most in scholarships ($3,150), followed by Kyle Prock ($2,250). Varni also was presented with the Principal’s Leadership Award.

Hector Obando will be the valedictorian at the May 26 graduation ceremony based on his 4.17 grade-point average. He also earned recognition from the California Department of Education’s Mathematics Council.

Elisabeth Martinez was just behind Obando in GPA (4.15) and will be the salutatorian during graduation.

In the lower grades, junior Daisy Lopez (4.15), sophomore Reyna Villa (4.13) and freshman Fernando Silva (4.12) earned the highest GPAs.

Senior Trevor Lovelace was recognized for perfect attendance during his entire scholastic career – kindergarten through 12th grade.

All scholarships, listed by student:

  • Christina Abebe: $500 from Kiwanis of Greater Turlock Ron Jesse Scholarship, $300 from Denair Sports Boosters, $125 from Sigma Omega Phi
  • Victoria Adler: $500 from the Denair Education Foundation
  • Joe Brasil: $250 from Denair Farm and Family, $100 from Denair Youth Football
  • Ileah Brantley: $500 from Key Club
  • Jared Carbajal: $250 from Denair Farm and Family, $100 from Denair Sports Boosters, $200 from the Mark Selee Memorial
  • Joseph Ciccarelli: $200 from Denair Youth Football
  • Brendan Curnow: $300 from Denair Sports Boosters, $250 from Denair Farm and Family, $100 from Denair Youth Football
  • Kayla Fant: $500 from DUTA Roberta Prescott Scholarship, $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Cristal Fuentes: $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Jaileen Gazcon: $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Justin Gomes: $500 from Denair Volunteer Fire Department
  • Carson Haringa: $300 from Denair Sports Boosters
  • Hector Jimenez: $100 from Denair Sports Boosters
  • Trevor Lovelace: $500 from Kiwanis of Greater Turlock Ron Jesse Scholarship, $300 from Denair Sports Boosters
  • Elisabeth Martinez: $500 from Denair Education Foundation, $500 from Denair Sports Boosters, $250 from Denair Farm and Family, $200 from Denair Youth Football
  • Nicole Nichols: $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Hector Obando: $500 from DUTA Roberta Prescott Scholarship, $500 from Denair Sports Boosters, $200 from Denair Youth Football
  • Kyle Prock: $1,000 from Hilmar Cheese Co., $500 from Stanislaus-San Joaquin Cattlewomen, $300 from Denair Sports Boosters, $250 from Denair Farm and Family, $200 from Denair Youth Football
  • Zachary Ramaley: $350 from Stanislaus County Office of Education, $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Sierra Smith: $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Seth Snider: $250 from Denair Farm and Family, $200 from Denair Youth Football
  • Eva Varni: $1,000 Denair Lions Club Tom Dougherty Scholarship, $500 from Denair Education Foundation, $500 from Denair Sports Boosters, $250 from Denair Farm and Family, $500 from Denair Volunteer Fire Department, $300 from the Mark Selee Memorial, $100 from Denair Youth Football

Continue reading “Top Denair High School Students Awarded Nearly $16,000 in Combined Scholarships” »

Top Denair High School Students Awarded $26,000 in Combined Scholarships

Denair High School Logo

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Nearly $26,000 in scholarships were awarded as Denair High School celebrated the academic achievement of its students Thursday night.

Abigail Dirkse received the Jim Booth Memorial Scholarship worth $2,500, the top individual award. She also earned the $1,500 Turlock Chamber of Commerce Ag Scholarship and was awarded $250 from the Stanislaus County Women in Agriculture.

Logen Arndt was recognized as the Class of 2016 valedictorian for his grade-point average of 4.33, best among seniors. David Sweeten and Dirkse (both 4.25 GPA) will be salutatorians at the May 27 graduation ceremony.

About 300 people attended the one-hour ceremony in the Coyote Center at Denair Middle School.

Other scholarships, listed by student:

  • Logen Arndt: $500 from the Mark Selee Memorial Scholarship, $500 from the Denair Education Foundation, $400 from the Turlock Pentecost Association, $400 from the Denair Sports Boosters, $250 from Denair Farm and Family, and $150 from Denair Youth Football
  • Eric Borba: $1,000 from the Denair Lions Club Tom Dougherty Scholarship
  • Juan de la Cruz: $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Taryn Fletcher: $1,500 from the SCOE Access Success Scholarship, $400 from the Denair Sports Boosters, $250 from Denair Farm and Family, and $150 from Denair Youth Football
  • Edward Flores: $500 from the Denair Volunteer Fire Department Scholarship, $500 from the SCOE Access Success Scholarship $400 from the Denair Sports Boosters, and $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Lucas Gomes: $200 from the DUTA Scholarship
  • Tristan Haile: $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Molly Hall: $75 from the Daughters of the American Revolution
  • Brallen Hernandez: $500 from the SCOE Access Success Scholarship
  • Heidi Johnson: $1,000 from the Bright Family Foundation
  • Malia Martinez: $750 from the SCOE Access Success Scholarship
  • Eva Olivas: $1,750 from the SCOE Access Success Scholarship and $200 from the DUTA Scholarship
  • Angela Parada: $500 from the Dairy Herd Improvement Scholarship
  • Markus Rocha: $800 from the Beta Sigma Phi Scholarship
  • Cheyenne Rutherford: $750 from the SCOE Access Success Scholarship, $500 from the Kiwanis of Greater Turlock Ron Jesse Scholarship, $500 from the DUTA Roberta Prescott Scholarship, $400 from the Denair Sports Boosters, $300 from Denair Youth Football, and $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Megan Silva: $1,000 from the Denair Lions Club Tom Dougherty Scholarship and $250 from Denair Farm and Family
  • Isaac Starks: $500 from the Kiwanis of Greater Turlock Ron Jesse Scholarship and $400 from the Denair Sports Boosters
  • David Sweeten: $500 from the DUTA Roberta Prescott Scholarship, $400 from the Denair Sports Boosters and $200 from the DUTA Scholarship
  • Jacqueline Tachiquin: $1,500 from the SCOE Access Success Scholarship

Continue reading “Top Denair High School Students Awarded $26,000 in Combined Scholarships” »

Denair High School Honors Top Students at Awards Night

valedictorianDenair High School celebrated the academic achievement of its top students May 1, 2014. Collectively, they earned almost $70,000 in scholarships.

Belle Helnore received the top individual scholarship, a grant of $22,356 from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, where she will be a freshman this fall.

Trey Howze was recognized as the Class of 2014 valedictorian for his grade-point average of 4.22, tops among seniors. Madison Taylor, with the second-highest GPA of 4.15, will be the salutatorian at the school’s May 30 graduation ceremony.

Katelynn Lawson was chosen as the Principal’s Leadership Award winner for her leadership and contributions over the past four years.

More than 250 people attended the one-hour awards ceremony May 1, in the high school gym.

For the first time, Denair students were eligible for an Access Success Scholarship from the Stanislaus County Office of Education. Kailyn Brammer and Talia Cardenas shared the highest amount ($3,000 each), followed by Emily Ainslie and Gloria Olivas ($2,500 each); Bianca Enriquez, Mayra Pimentel and Paige Shipman ($2,000 each); Madison Taylor ($1,750); Crystal Ramos, Michael Ovro, Belle Helnore and Juan Arrieta ($1,500 each); Maroniel Bethishou ($1,000); and Evonne Avalos ($750).

Other scholarships, listed by student: Continue reading “Denair High School Honors Top Students at Awards Night” »

DHS Ag Students Honored by Turlock Chamber

DHSagScholarship2014

Bill Douglas – Ag Advisor, Sean Andersen, Holley McDiffett,
Katelynn Lawson, Summer Tannehill – Ag Advisor

On Monday, March 10, 2014, three Denair High School students and their advisors were invited to attend the Turlock Chamber of Commerce 14th Annual Ag Scholarship luncheon. The purpose of the luncheon was to acknowledge the achievements and efforts of local high school senior agriculture students. From Denair High School, Katelynn Lawson received a $1500.00 scholarship.  She plans to attend CSU Stanislaus or CSU Fresno.  Sean Andersen received a $750 scholarship.  He plans on attending CSU Fresno, where his father and sister also attended.  He plans on majoring in Crop Science and getting his PCA license.  Holley McDiffett received a $750 scholarship.  Parents of the three Denair students were able to attend the luncheon.  The students thanked the community, the chamber, and family for their support.

Katelynn Lawson Among FFA Scholarship Finalists

Katelynn LawsonUnlike most of her FFA peers, Katelynn Lawson did not grow up on a farm or ranch. Her father is a businessman in Ceres; her mother is a teacher in Turlock.

“I have an accidental life in agriculture,” said Katelynn, a senior at Denair High School, who was one of six nominees this year for a statewide FFA scholarship.

Katelynn, 18, may not come from traditional agricultural roots, but that has not diminished her enthusiasm. She has shown rabbits and pigs at the Stanislaus County Fair and at national shows the past four years. She has been the FFA president at Denair High School the past two years while taking every ag-related class taught by teacher and FFA adviser Bill Douglas.

“She’s definitely taken a strong interest in agriculture and that’s not always there for students who don’t have a family connection to a farm,” said Douglas.

Katelynn’s activities don’t stop with her affinity for ag. She’s been a Girl Scout for 13 years, a cheerleader at the high school and is the student representative on the Denair Unified School Board.

“She is very outgoing, very involved in the campus,” said Denair High Principal Aaron Delworth. “She’s very mature and confident. I think what we’re seeing from her right now is just tip of iceberg. She’s going to go a long way in life.”

Though Katelynn was not among the award winners announced Sunday night at the 86th California State FFA Leadership Conference in Fresno, she already has one scholarship in her pocket – $1,500 from the Turlock Chamber of Commerce. She intends to use it next year just down the road at California State University, Stanislaus. Her focus in college?

“I applied as a business major,” he said, “hopefully with a focus on ag.”