Gresham Rotary celebrated its annual scholarship recipients Wednesday, May 22, with many of the students family members in attendance.
The students were introduced by their respective counselors and shared with the club their hopes and dreams for the future. Rotary offered $16,500 this year in scholarships.
These are the 2013 Rotary Scholars:
Centennial High School
Amber Starr spoke about how she plans to turn her passion for art into a career. Amber will receive $1,500 each year for two years to attend Mt. Hood Community College.
Eric Lopez arrived in the United States five years ago. Although soccer is his passion, he temporarily gave up playing to devote his time to his academics and learning English.
He walked on the soccer team his senior year. Eric will receive $1,000 his first year at Mt. Hood.
Sandy High School
Tia Nash took her passion for horses and created a senior project raising more than $1,000 for Heartland for Horses. Tia will receive a scholarship of $1,500 a year for two years to help her achieve her dream of becoming a veterinary technician, and someday a veterinarian.
Edgar Valencia Esquivel was born in Oregon, but moved to Mexico at the age of 3 and then moved back to Oregon again at age 8. A serious soccer player, Edgar has chosen sports journalism as a career, with a dream to one day become a sports commentator for The World Cup.
Edgar will receive $1,000 for his first year at Mt. Hood.
Leticia Lopez dreams of becoming a teacher and volunteers as an interpreter in the community. She will start at Mt. Hood and transfer to a university to finish her teaching credentials.
Leticia is receiving the Presidents Recognition Award of $500.
Barlow High School
Amber Duan, a student at The Center for Advanced Learning, has developed an interest in civil engineering. She is helping her father restore a 1926 Model T, with plans to study two years at Mt. Hood and then transfer to Portland State University to complete her degree in engineering.
Amber will receive $1,500 a year for two years.
Pema Lahmo fled Tibet in 2007 and crossed the Himalayas on foot to reach India. By 2009, she was learning English and studying health care at The Center for Advanced Learning.
She plans to complete the nursing program at Mt. Hood and will receive $1,000 to begin her studies at Mt. Hood.
Gresham High School
Taylor Carbone not only plays summer league softball, but collects new and used sports equipment to donate to kids in need. Her goal is a career in law enforcement with an emphasis in crime scene investigation.
Taylor has been awarded $1,500 a year for two years to attend Mt. Hood.
Hailee L. Trapold is a basketball player who donates her time to Little Gopher Camps and has participated in leadership camps. With a passion for health care, she plans to become a nurse and specialize in pediatrics.
Hailee will receive $1,000 for one year to begin her studies at Mt. Hood.
The following students will receive their second year of funding at Mt. Hood Community College: Chris Wingler, Sergiu Corporan, Jared Johnson and Tyler Sherwood.