001Come back. Everybody. Heat. Heat. Good morning. Hallelujah. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Happy birthday. right now. Thank you. Hallelujah. Heat. Heat. Hallelujah. Mr. It's hard. Okay. What do you think? Heat. Heat. Heat. We behind Jazz Elmo. Congratulations. All right. Good evening. Okay, let's give one more round of applause for the PB Jazz Pro. They do an amazing job. Uh, good evening. My name is uh Danny Whitaker and I want to welcome you here tonight. I'm the principal of Pleasant Valley High School. Before we get started, a few housekeeping items to get underway. Uh this one for the students. By the way, students, y'all look amazing tonight. Due to the excuse me, um yeah, due to the volume of scholarships and awards, we're asking the students to line up before their name is called throughout
002the evening. is Jean will be holding up a card or sign with your number on it. As soon as you see your number, please walk to the right of the stage and wait for your name to be called. Families, please use the back of the theater to exit if for any reason you need to leave uh the evening early. We appreciate your cooperation with that. Again, welcome to Pleasant Valley High School senior awards banquet and scholarship night. Pleasant Valley High School would like to congratulate all the recipients who have been invited here tonight. You are all so deserving putting in countless hours of hard work, not only this year but throughout your careers. To the family members and friends in attendance or watching online, thank you. Thank you for supporting these amazing young people. They
003could not have achieved this level of success without your support. There will be a variety of awards and scholarships this evening. This includes community awards, department awards, university scholarships, and community scholarships. Tonight, we'll be honoring over 120 students with a variety of awards and scholarships. It is my pleasure to welcome our first presenter, Doug Hess. Hey everybody. Um, what an amazing night of honoring the efforts of so many astounding young people. Um, all you parents deserve a shout out as well. What an effort you've made and I'm sure your teenagers have agreed with all your decisions. So, thanks for being here. Um, also to any teachers in the room, uh, no matter the grade level or subject, thanks for helping these kids be amazing, too. So many amazing kids across all of our course offerings
004today. Um, K through 12 education is a long pathway, each stepping stone dependent on the other. So really thankful for the teachers in the room as well. Um, I have the good fortune tonight of recognizing AP diploma candidates. AP AP caps diploma candidates. AP Capstone, just so you know, is a highly demanding interdisciplinary program driven by student interests. To become a Capstone diploma candidate, students must complete the two cornstones of the program, AP Seminar and AP Research, along with the exams of at least four other AP courses. In AP Seminar, students build research and critical thinking skills necessary to become experts at reacting to the data of others. In Navy Research, students actually generate data of their own, designing year-long research studies or creative projects based entirely on their own academic passions. I quickly become
005a student in their classroom, and it's a really fun thing to be. >> AP research students must follow the steps of any professional researcher. They have to formalize an inquiry, complete detailed research of the professional practice already surrounding their study pathway, identify a gap in that existing research so that ultimately they can contribute uniquely to that body of knowledge. All logistical constraints are up to the AP research student to overcome as well. This often involves them collaborating not just with other teachers at PB, but also with experts and community members beyond our campus. In effect, they are doing graduate level work on a high school campus. The AP Capstone Diploma is the most rigorous education pathway possible in our school district. Before calling them up, um I just want to say how proud I am
006of them. Though they've had full-blown senioritis for a while now, their resilience has been inspiring. Our world continues to try to fracture and monetize the attention of young people. It urges them to think truth is only a few clicks away. Yet, these students have committed to the long, often frustrating process of pursuing facts. And they have committed to being transparent about the limitations of their pursuits. From investigating the benefits of code switching during therapy for bilingual patients to the impacts of energy drinks on the human mouth. From exploring the personality traits of MMA fighters to designing a hawk couture clothing line. From improving the learning rate and accuracy of artificial intelligence to helping Chico Unifi build a more sustainable band program. The list goes on and on. One after another, these scholars have added to
007a legacy of thinking that will benefit PD students for years to come. I have told them this before um but to me they are thought heroes. It has been my deepest honor to be around them. I wish that anyone who worries about kids these days had a chance to see what I've seen. There are no adequate words to capture their integrity and promise and I know that can be said by all the kids honored here tonight. U it's now my pleasure to recognize each of these amazing students. We have a lot of them. We're going to do them in groups um and make sure they get their names read um and recognized. Everyone, can you come out, please? Would you step forward when your name is called? Athena Abria, Gavin Anderson, William Baker, Jackson Carter,
008Jason Christie, Liam Curry, Shelby Gamato, Brad Julie, Benjamin. Donovan's not here tonight, but he's awesome. And then we have Zoe Gibson. All right, group one, you are one of four. It's your turn to return to the wings. And we're going to have group two come on up. The conveyor belt of genius going here. All right. Honoring our next group, we have Valeria Gonzalez Hernandez. David Herbato, Hannah Jansen, Haron Carr, Benjamin Keller, Paige Kennedy, >> Jason Klein, Luke Platin, Euine Le, sorry, um, Anna Duke, Alexander Lopez, Thomas Ma on the way out. I'm saving all the nicknames we have in class. And um come on out group number three. They found out my family nickname is duck. I have a lot of ducks in my room. Duck everything. Now the the whole auditorium knows that. So
009All right, group three. Thank you. Okay, we first have Mackenzie Martin, Isabelle Martinez, Xavier Mat, Sean McGill, Joseph Mesman, Joshua Milton, >> Ashley Morris, Anuna, Oscar Bolson, Sator, Almond, Ready, and Cleo Ray. Thank you guys. Okay, our last approved. I will be ugly crying when I say goodbye to them in my classrooms. I'm trying to get better at the awards tonight, though. You don't need to see that. >> All right, starting us off with group four. Autumn Riley, Alli Riser. Got step forward when you hear your name call. Um, Elijah Rivera. Okay. Can I have you step forward? Nicholas Robinson, take a step forward. Now you can sit back. There we go. Co Rodney Foster Simco Maddie Smith Zoe Steif Nathan Stow Molly Sneezer Nathan Vanl, >> Jason Wilson, >> Andrew Steos. Such amazing kids.
010Thank you so much for changing my life forever. Thanks so much for helping always deserve. Good evening everybody. My name is Gary Alers and I was a graduate of PE High School a couple years ago, class of 69. Anyway, I've been on the Midwell Park board of directors for about 40 years now, Goodwell Park Golf Course. and we decided this year that we would give something back to the community in the way of scholarship to the boys and girls golf team. So my presentation is going to Justin Plumber. My name is Barbara Alers and I have the honor of presenting the Pam Coleman uh golf scholarship in memory of Pam Coleman who unfortunately passed away last summer. Pam was an avid golfer, always ready to play, and it's a very nice honor in herstead. Unfortunately,
011her daughter Amy, who is a Pleasant Valley High School graduate, was unable to be here, so she asked me to present this schol present this scholarship in her place. I have the honor of presenting the very first Pam Coleman Golf Scholarship to Taylor Fibius. I'm here on behalf of the discovery shop uh which was established in 1959 by a group of uh Chico women who recognized a need for uh a fund for our local charities and our nonprofits. We are a small thrift show thrift shop located on the corner of Third East Third Street and Flume Avenue and uh we're across from the farmers market. We have about 100 volunteers that work in the shop. No one is and we rely entirely on donations from our community members and we're very lucky. Uh last year
012we were able to donate over $160,000 to our community and each year we contribute to the Chico Community Scholarship Foundation. It's my pleasure to present uh this year an award to Dala Smith and it's $2,000 for her future education. Those lights are bright. I'm here on behalf of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Chico Auxiliary 218. Pleased to do this scholarship presentation this evening. Our auxiliary is in its 86th year of giving to our community. We do year-round fundraising and all of those funds stay here in the community. Of course, one of those um activities help fund the scholarships to our local high school senior graduates. Our motto is people helping people. Our other funds go to local charities such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, kidney, autism, cancer, city of hope, and children's. Anytime you see the
013Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary doing a fundraiser, please join in because all of those funds that we raise stay here in our local community that we give out here. Um, so it's just a really great thing to do that we can um give back to our community. With that, I would ask Amber Riby to come forward. So, a little bit about Amber in case you don't already know, but I understand that she transitioned her senior year to a new school. Sounds like she jumped right in and got involved with soccer and really took in some leadership opportunities. But what resonated with us in her letter was she intends to be a nurse and so um people helping people. Um and she hopes to be attending I believe Grand Canyon University away from home I think.
014Yeah. Okay. Um so we are uh proud to present this scholarship to her as she continues um people helping people. Hello everyone. My name is Vicki Lorenzo and I'm presenting on behalf of the Payne family for a Valerie Payne memorial scholarship. Valerie Payne graduated in 1969 from Chico State University with a BA in fine arts. She continued her education and obtained her teaching credential and worked for Chico Unified as a fine arts specialist for 10 years. After she retired from teaching, she shared her love of art by volunteering her time and giving lessons at the cost of de Florence. She also worked at Avenue 9 Art Gallery and took part in many art shows, opened studio tours, and donated her prints to raise money for the Bedwell Mansion Restoration Project. Valerie received um many honors
015and awards for her artwork, but was very humble and generously passed them on to hundreds of paintings to family members, charitable fundraisers, and local Chico patrons. Valerie passed away a few years ago after extremely short battle with leukemia. Her family wanted to keep her memory alive and established a scholarship for a deserving senior. After going through hundreds of applicants among all graduating seniors in Chico, we pulled from those who showed interest in art education. But since there was no luck with art education, we broadened our search and came across an individual who shared her passion for teaching knowing she wanted to make a difference and provide high school students with a nurturing and engaging classroom experience teaching history. It is it is an honor to present the third annual gifts from the brush Valerie Pay
016Memorial Scholarship to Taylor Schulen. Taylor, it's an honor. Um we hope that you continue to find your passion and inspire and create an amazing environment for students to learn just as they wanted. Congratulations. This is just a little we have thousands of brushes. So, we're going to give you one that my mom use. So, I appreciate it. >> Hi, Linda Allen with Sir Optimist Chico. We have a couple of awards that we're giving out. Our first one that we're giving out is from Sir Optimus International. And those of you who don't know what Seroptimus is, we raise money for women and girls in the area so that they can move their education on, go to school, uh be able to really enlighten their lives in many ways. So, we do a lot for the area.
017Our first award is through Seroptimus International and our winner locally is Emily Rodriguez. Our second award is a local award called the Bev Rosen Doll Award and it's for um high school seniors that want to move on and either become a teacher or uh do you know something hopefully locally in the area. And this woman was pretty amazing with her letter that she wrote. We were quite impressed. She may be winning a couple awards here, but our award that we're giving is going to Campbell Woods. My name is Jacob Christian and I am pleased to represent the Sierra Pacific Foundation. The foundation supports youth and community based programs in the areas where we operate facilities. The foundation scholarship program is offered to the students of Sierra Pacific employees going to trade schools, community colleges, four-year
018universities, and vocational training programs. For the 2026 and 27 school year, over $746,000 have been awarded to over 239 students. On behalf of Sierra Pacific Foundation and the Sierra Pacific Industries and also personally myself because I work with his dad every day and he's wonderful. Um, we'd like to present the award to Jaden Garmin. Hello, my name is Angela Landry and I'm uh presenting this award on behalf of Caitlyn Brennan, the adviser for the Be Forever Strong Club. Uh I have the privilege of awarding our Be Forever Strong scholarship tonight to Katherine Black. He is receiving a scholarship of $1,000 thanks to a grant from Hignel company. The Bever Strong scholarship awards students for their commitment to the growth in areas of academics, integrity inside and outside of the classroom, growth in caring about and
019helping and strengthen our community, and willingness to be held accountable by our team and their mentors. I am so proud of Cat for her ef for the effort and work she has put in in the last four years. Even when things didn't come easy, Cat always worked hard and did her best, asking for help when needed. I love that she found her niche with a program here and I'm so excited to see where life takes her. Hi, I'm Anita Shalesh from PE Star Scholarship. I'm here to award to Hen K for leadership, extracurricular activities, community service, and a potential for future success. Thank you. Good evening. I'm Janice Napier from PEO Chapter Y here in Chico. The PEO Sisterhood is one of the largest community-based women's organizations in North America with almost 200,000 active members.
020Our organization provides loans, grants, and scholarships for women through its six philanthropies. The PEO Sisterhood is committed to helping women achieve their educational goals. The PEO Star Scholarship recognizes the accomplishments of graduating high school women planning to pursue postsecary education. In presenting this $2,500 scholarship, the members of chapter Yee and Chico are pleased to recognize our honore who demonstrates excellence in leadership, extracurricular activities, community service, academics, and potential for success. Our PEO star scholarship is presented to Cameron Wood. Congratulations. Good evening. My name is Jacine Leasey. I'm honored to present the Janice Glucaci scholarship established to celebrate my mom, an extraordinary woman whose spirit continues to inspire. Our family created this scholarship to support a young woman starting her higher education. Our hope is that Jan's legacy endures by providing opportunities for others to grow
021and succeed. Janice Leasey believed deeply in the power of education, opportunity, and human connection. She was raised in a small town in Iowa where she developed a love of learning and a drive to succeed. As a young woman, she became an exchange student in Brazil, an experience that sparked a lifelong passion for travel and global cultures. That curiosity shaped her life as she traveled extensively internationally as well as lived internationally, including areas such as Hong Kong and Manila, Philippines with her husband, John. She embraced the art, food, and traditions of each place. she called home. Jan was a loving mother, grandmother, and devoted partner to a successful international banking executive. While in the Philippines, she and her husband adopted four children, my siblings and I, before moving to Chico to raise uh our family in
022a close-knit community. Jan was known for her creativity and warmth. She expressed herself through photography, cooking, and a deep appreciation for art, especially the Asian art she collected abroad. She found joy in simple pleasures from time with family at uh Minnesota cabin to caring for many pets at home. Jan was defined by her generosity. She was deeply committed to her community and passionate about supporting women in education. She believed in uplifting others and creating opportunities whenever possible. Tonight, we honor her legacy by recognizing a student who embodies her values, determination, curiosity, and a commitment to making a difference. I am pleased to present the Janice Lucasy scholarship to Tatiana of Diva, whose dedication to education and future reflects the spirit of this award. Tiana, as you continue your journey, may you carry forward Jan's legacy
023by embracing opportunity, pursuing your goals with confidence, and using your gifts to uplift others. Congratulations, Tatiana. May your future be as meaningful and impactful as Jian's legacy. Good evening. Um I'm a member of PEO also uh chapter DS and um I want to let you uh tell you a little bit about PEO. Uh PO stands for philanthropic educational organization. It was founded 157 years ago at Iowa Wesling College and is one of the largest community-based women's organizations in North America. There are about 6,000 chapters in the United States and Canada and locally we have nine chapters. Through its six philanthropies, PEO has given nearly $462 million in financial assistance in loans, grants, and scholarships to more than 129,000 women. PEL also owns a 4-year college, liberal arts college in Nevada, Missouri called KA College. Um,
024I'm going to be giving out two scholarships. The first one is our from our local chapter DS scholarship and my PEO sister who recommended this person to the chapter could not be here tonight but this is what she shared with me about this person. Quote, I'm most impressed by her attitude for learning, helping others, and commitment to bettering herself. Working with her for a a Habitat for Humanity built site, I knew immediately that she had the drive, energy, and love for helping others that our chapter would want to support. Please help me in in congratulating Paley Jacobs. Now the second scholarship there's this this person knows that she's received it but we just want to recognize her uh and it's called the star scholarship. As I mentioned, we have six international philanthropies and the star
025is one of those six. Uh it stands for uh scholastic talent, accomplishment and recognition. It was established in 200 2009 and recognizes the accomplishments of young women graduating from high school who plan on going to college either in the United States or Canada. And in that relatively short time, PEO International has given nearly two 20 I'm sorry, 24.9 million scholarships to just over 10,000 women. Um, also before I present this to um I would also like to uh thank Jessica Eisern and the counseling office for their help in setting up the interviews that we did in the fall. And um we couldn't have done it without you, Jessica, wherever you are. Um in presenting this $2,500 scholarship awarded by PEO International, the members of chapter DS are very pleased to present Josie French for the
026scholarship. Hi, I'm Jennifer Ellison. I'm with the Chico Friends of the Library and we have two scholarships to give out tonight to kids who have done well in school and spent a lot of time volunteering at the library. So tonight's winners are Sarah Porter and Alex Wood. Good evening. My name is Andy Banks and I'm here on behalf of Animal Health Volunteer Advisory Board. Uh it's my pleasure to recognize two young women for their generous contribution of time at the hospital. For two years, they have participated in Emerald's House Junior Volunteer Program, which offers students the opportunity to assist our community in a healthcare environment. They're both being presented with scholarships tonight for her service and commitment as a junior volunteer. We wish you the best in your studies and your journey in the healthcare
027field. My two recipients are Athena and K. Hi, my name is Austin Lincoln. I'll be presenting uh the next two awards on behalf of Tri Countyy's Bank. At Tri Countyy's Bank, our mission is to improve the financial success and well-being of the people we serve. And we believe a key element in fulfilling our mission is through scholarship investment in our communities. Uh this year we have invested over $110,000 in our local communities through the bank's footprint. Uh our first award winner is Noah Alon uh for his academic performance and values. Our next winner is David Ortado for his responsible and reliable work. Hello, my name is Mark Moria. I'm a vice president commercial lender at Golden Valley Bank for 20 year Oh, wait a minute. I'm also a proud member of the Pleasant Valley High
028School class of 1979. For 20 years, Golden Valley Bank has been partnering with successful businesses in our area. We value those relationships because they are so important to our community. If you look around this room, nothing in this room would exist without business owners and their teams doing what they do day in and day out. That is why our preference is to provide scholarships to students who plan to study courses in business, in economics or courses that will foster their entrepreneurial spirit. So I have two awards today. The first one is the Golden Dolly Bank Galloway Scholarship and that is for Wyatt Adams. The second one is the Golden Valley Bank Community Foundation Scholarship and that goes to Oscar Pulson. Good evening. My name is Bob Cranston. I'm here this evening. It's an honor to
029be here really. Um and I'm here to present three scholarships. Uh the first one is being presented on behalf of the Pleasant Valley High School Foundation. The foundation was created back in 2007 by ex-staff members and some parents. And the intent of that foundation is to uh supply teaching staff or classified staff whomever who uh would like to have enough money to do things other than what their regular budget allows them to do. So over those past years, the foundation has raised um over 300 well, we're close to 400,000 now in an endowment. And each year uh we present uh $10,000 or more back to the school in the way of grants to teachers or staff who submit an application. And then the foundation has a committee which evaluates those requests. And it's a great
030pleasure to say that we've given over 300 almost $400,000 in that category as well. Um again, it's made up of ex staff and and parents of graduates. So, if anyone out there is interested in helping to continue to support Pleasant Valley High School, you can uh look online and for the PV Foundation and get information there. Uh this evening, the first award that I'm presenting is for is from the foundation and u this uh student is pretty amazing. Um, the recipient currently has 4.24 academic GPA in advanced and honors classes. She's involved in many activities such as CSF, Interact, Key Club, and the Operation Christmas Child event held by the Interact Club each year. Out outside of school, she's very involved in county impact mentoring and volunteering at Enllo Hospital. In all, she's involved in
03112 different clubs and athletics in her in her high school career. So, it is great pleasure and my honor to present this scholarship to Valeria Gonzalez. The next two awards are an award that's called the Jean Howard Howard memorial scholarships. Jean Howard was an outstanding educator in the Chica five school district for over 30 years and uh he was involved in athletics as well as as teaching. Jean passed. When Jean passed away, 10 of his friends spent eight years uh doing fundraisers to build an endowment now worth over $100,000 which would keep his memory alive and allow two students each year at both PV and that other school I can't remember the name of the other side of town. Anyway, he uh so he uh that memorial is donating four uh scholarships a year to
032PV to Chico. Um the first recipient from PV currently has 3.85 academic GPA in the difficult course u and is um involved in school activities especially in band choir. One of her teachers said, "She is respectful, responsible, sweet, and high quality individual." The first Jean Howard scholarship will go to Kyla Tyson. The second the second recipient uh has an academic GPA of 393 in a difficult medical pathway program of study. this uh that course of study may be uh one of the more difficult apparently but he's uh really uh people think that maybe one of the reasons he went in there pursue the medical part of it was the fact that he plays football and he's also on the track team. Uh this is somewhat natural I guess because he comes from a very athletic
033family. The second Jean Howin scholarship for 20126 goes to Blake Shield. Hi, my name is Mike Vod. I teach here at Pleasant Valley High School and it's my honor to uh uh award the Brett Silva Memorial Scholarship. Um, I've asked this question in the past and I think I know the answer, but can I ask that if you knew Brett Silva, could you please stand? So, not surprisingly, that number's getting smaller. Nevertheless, Brett left a huge imprint on this campus and all the people that knew him. He had a huge personality. He was my best friend and I'm honored to give this award to two very worthy students tonight. And so, first, um, I spoke with this young lady earlier today asking her what her plans were tonight, and she said she needed to come
034to the scholarship award ceremony, but she didn't know why, and I knew. Um, and you're probably going to see her more tonight, but um, Abby Herrell uh, introduced herself to me last year as a student of mine, but she refused to go unnoticed. Um, it wasn't long before she hacked into my social media account. Uh, printed out full-size pictures of my face and turned them into memes and hung them on my whiteboard. Those memes are still on my whiteboard. Uh Aby's superpower is that she has this magical ability to bring you in and ask you to do things that would be fun. And she keeps saying, "Come on, no, no, no, we should do it. Come on, we should do this. It'd be fun. Let's do this." And it it it really was. She was
035able to convince me uh to perform alongside my bandmates last year with her uh singing vocals. by the way, staff infection is the name of our band. Uh, and then again this year and it's super fun when you get the opportunity to do that. And so I'm really honored and privileged to award the first threat civil scholarship to Abigail Harold. And our second recipient, um, equally deserving, and this is a young man who, uh, I've had as a student for two years, very bright, very athletic, really well spoken, uh, just a joy to teach. Um, because he's got grit and determination, and just doesn't, you know, he's not ever going to quit. He's going to keep working to learn what he needs to learn. And that's the same approach, the best I can tell, that
036he takes nearly everything in his life. Now, um I will point out um that Blake's grandfather, Chuck Healey, is a Chico institution. He was my junior high track coach at Chico Jr. And Chuck still coaches today. And the only thing Chuck Sheiley asked of a young Mike Globe was to run a decent mile time. And I fear that I failed him terribly. I tried. Um, I'm hoping in some dark corner of my mind that giving Blake this money will settle the issue. Um, Blake Sheiley is a very deserving candidate and I'm very proud to deliver the second Silva Brad Silva memorial scholarship to Blake Sheiley. Thank you very much. Hi everyone, my name is Ally Williams. I'm a Pleasant Valley class of 2023 graduate and the founder of the Hello Social Q Foundation, which is
037a nonprofit I created to provide more merit-based scholarship opportunities to local students, specifically made for those who have shown it exceptional leadership throughout high school. Congratulations to our 2026 recipients, Mackenzie Martin, Delila Smith, and Campbell Woods. Good evening. My name is Elizabeth Warm and I am the classified school employees association secretary for Cheto chapter 110. I'm excited to present this scholarship members student. Scholarships are 100% funded by our member dues and is a great way that we can give back to our chapter members and their families. We are proud to give this scholarship to three PB students. First, McKenzie Martin. McKenzie, we wish you the best in your next chapter at Calpali as an English major and hope this scholarship will help you with your academic journey. My next two recipients unfortunately are not here,
038but on the good side, they're currently playing a softball tournament hopefully for the championship. The first is Caitlyn Careri. Caitlyn is going to be attending University of Nevada Reno. She's planning on going into nursing and coming back to Chico to be part of the healthcare community here. Caitlyn, we wish you the best. Last but not least is her sister, Brianna Soler. Brianna is headed to Montana State University to pursue degree in kinesiology in order to travel the world and help others and build a future for herself. Ladies, we congratulate you all and wish you well. >> Hi, happy Thursday. I'm Holly Blancaul, Anthony Cap on the of the Chico Kowanas Club and as a proud PB alumni, class of 1998. What up? Thank you for inviting me to be here tonight as we celebrate the
039incredible accomplishments of all these outstanding students. Tonight is about scholarships, yes, but it's also about something even bigger. It's about recognizing young people who are already making a big difference in the world around them. At its heart, the mission of Kowanas is simple. Serving the children of the world. One of the ways that mission comes to life is in power powerful commitments of programs like our high school key clubs. Our key club at Pleasant Valley is far more than just a student organization. It's a community of servant leaders, young people who choose compassion over indifference, action over excuses, and service over self-interest. These students volunteer countless hours supporting schools, local nonprofits, community events, families in need, and causes bigger than themselves. They show up, they lead, they care, and perhaps most importantly, they inspire. In
040a world that can sometimes feel divided or disconnected, these students remind us that kindness and community still matter. What makes Key Club so special is that it teaches you something that you can't always learn from a textbook with real-time exper experiences and examples that your life has the power to impact someone else's. Whether they're organizing food, clothing or supply drives, volunteering at park and bike path cleanups, mentoring young students, or simply being the person who steps forward when help is needed. These young leaders are already shaping the future in big ways. Since 1954, our club has believed deeply in investing in the youth of our community. Not only financially through scholarships, but through mentorship, encouragement, and opportunities to lead. Because when you invest in youth and young adults like all of these, you invest in
041a better future for all of us. To the students being honored tonight, you should be proud of what you've accomplished. Your hard work, dedication, compassion, and service have not gone unnoticed. But I also want to encourage you to remember this as you move into the next chapter. Success is important. Achievement is important. But the way you make people feel, the way you serve others, the way you use your gifts to uplift your community, that is what leaves a lasting and true Viking legacy. Congratulations to all of tonight's scholarship recipients, to our Key Club adviser, Mrs. Gregoire. I can't see you because of the lights, but hopefully you're in here. You're rad. Um, as well as every educator and counselor who guided and supported these students, and to the families who have encouraged them every step
042of the way. Lastly, a huge thank you to all of our incredible Key Club members for committing to continue to embody what service and leadership truly look like as they enter their post high school journeys. Now, without uh further delay, I'd like to present our first scholarship to Paige Kennedy. looking anywhere. >> Fantastic. We're good. >> Our next scholarship goes to Hanu Na. And our final award goes to Mr. Oscar Pson. Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Carrie Friedri and I'm here with Beta Chapter of Omega. This is a philanthropic organization of volunteer community women who fund raise together to support a variety of local causes each year as well as fund scholarships to graduates of several area high schools. The Beta Chapter of Omega New was founded in 1920 in Chico and
043serves the greater surrounding community within B County. Omega New is happy to be able to present this year's scholarships, two scholarships. Our first to Haley Jacobs. Our second is to Amber Riby. Our third is for one of our third um second uh foundations, the Mcameus Military Foundation to Vivian Hemmonds. >> Hello, good evening. My name is Justin Waller. I'm joined here tonight by my lovely wife Debbie. Uh my parents were Bill and Becky Waller and they were fun-loving Midwesterners. Although their lives were cut short, our hope is that by investing in the lives of in the futures of young people that their legacy will expand and resonate with the world. Therefore, we are investing in the futures of two Pleasant Valley graduating seniors tonight by awarding two $2750 scholarships. We have selected one young man
044and one young lady who have displayed excellence in athletics and academics and we wish them both all the best in their future endeavors. So with that uh why don't you all come on up the young man we selected is a multiport athlete playing football and baseball as well as wrestling. He wants to be an electrician with a business background. Uh congratulations Thomas Jacob. And I am introducing to you Caitlyn Enos who played volleyball for four years and track and field for four years in jumps and sprints. She was also part of this year's 4x 100 girls varsity relay team that broke the school record and is number one in the section this season. She has committed to uh Chico State for track and field in long jump and heptathlon. Congratulations. Sorry for not handing things
045off in order. Sorry about that. Uh so I also serve on the Marshall Family Foundation and uh that foundation was created by Wall-E and Susan Marshall to encourage a strong work ethic in young people and to help create opportunities for those willing to put forth an effort to excel. This year's recipient is someone who has demonstrated that work ethic by being involved with student government and link crew, taking three years of American Sign Language. He's a four-year swimmer and homecoming king. He's committed to attend American River College in the fall. And I'm excited to present this award for $3,000 scholarship from the Marshall Family Foundation to Dane Chamber. All right, it's my turn now. Good evening. My name is Nicole Wed representing the Ethan McCoy Memorial Scholarship Committee. This scholarship serves to support B County
046High School graduates pursuing a career in nursing. In the last four years, $29,000 in scholarships have been awarded, and this year, another 16,000 will be awarded to 10 students from five high schools. Much of these funds come from local donations in honor of Ethan and the McCoy family of Durham. Ethan's life was a short 10 years, but it was full of faith, family, friends, and an entrepreneurial spirit that included a nursery business selling succulents and homemade bird prices. Tonight, we are pleased to award three PD students with scholarships. The first recipient wants to be a labor and delivery nurse. She wrote, "As a nurse, you must show compassion to everyone you assist, have outstanding communication skills, adapt quickly because anything can happen, and remain emotionally stable throughout the whole process. As a nurse myself, I
047can attest to these requirements. A $1,000 scholarship is awarded to Josie French. The second uh recipient wants to be a source of care and stability to those who need it most. This candidate described a strong passion for nursing and empathy. A $1,000 scholarship is awarded to Abby Bashard. And the final recipient wants to be a Oh, the final recipient is also passionate about pursuing a nursing career. She wrote that she is interested in healthc care advocacy driven by a personal mission to ensure no one has to endure an illness in silence. A $1,000 scholarship is awarded to Delila Smith. >> Thank you. And congratulations, class of 2026. I'm Melanie Austin and it is an honor to be presenting scholarships to three deserving Pleasant Valley seniors on behalf of Chico Elks Lodge 423. We would like
048to congratulate tonight's recipients and each person who has helped them to get to this point in their lives. Within the Oaks organization, one of the programs we are most proud of is supporting the academic successes of our high school students in the form of scholarships. This year, the Elks have issued 24 scholarships for the surrounding high schools, including the three we are presenting tonight. It gives me a great pleasure to recognize the following recipients. Olive Ernest Josie French and Campbell Woods. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Lauren Green. The art department has been incredibly fortunate to partner with Sunrise Rotary here in Chico. This partnership has provided our students with meaningful real world design experience and Sunrise Rotary has generously generously created scholarships to recognize some of our standout seniors. At its core, Rotary
049is built around service, community, and giving back with a strong focus on education and our youth. This year, we selected students who truly embody those values. Students who are community-minded, collaborative, and who use their creativity and problem solving skills to positively impact others. >> Good evening. My name is Stephen Traber. I'm our teacher here. For our first award tonight, we have the Renaissance Artist Award. It is my honor to present the Renaissance Artists Award, an award that celebrates a student who embodies the spirit of curiosity, creativity, and excellence across multiple disciplines. This year, that student is Cleo Reb. In a tradition of the Renaissance, when artists were also scientists, thinkers, and cultural leaders, Cleo has made her mark not just as a gifted artist, but as a well-rounded scholar and leader. She brings depth and
050brilliance to everything she touches, whether it's a painting, a scientific concept for her AP research class, or on stage playing the piano or flute, or just a conversation about current events. As president of our National Arts Honor Society, Cleo has led with passion, creativity, and quiet confidence. She inspires her peers with thoughtful insight and genuine love for the arts and humanities. But what makes Cleo truly exceptional is how seamlessly she connects her artistic talent with a deep understanding of the world around her. Cleo, thank you for reminding us that being an artist isn't just about what you create. It's about how you see the world and how you help others see it, too. We can't wait to see where your talents and your voice take you next. Congratulations. It is my honor to present this
051year's Sunrise Rotary Graphic Arts and Design Student of the Year to Owen Wallsman. Over the past two years, I've had the privilege of watching Owen grow into an exceptional designer, but more importantly teammate. Last year, he picked up Adobe Illustrator, which is super hard to grasp, and the concept of design so quickly that I moved him into the advanced section almost immediately. But what stood out wasn't just his talent. It was the way he approached the work. Owen understands that the true heart of design is using creativity and skill in service of others. He's incredibly coachable, always open to feedback, and he gives 100% whenever he's asked to help. Over the past two years, our graphic arts and design students partnered with Sunrise Rotary to create signage for Caper Acres Children's Park. This project required
052far more than just designing the signs and Owen became absolutely pivotal in helping this helping bring this project from concept to re reality. Time and time again, he became the person that I could count on when I needed something to be solved or completed. The quality of your work is professional and your dedication goes far beyond your years. Owen, I would choose you to be on my team any day and in any capacity and I hope you know that I will always be cheering you on. It is my honor to present the graphic arts and design student of the year award to Owen Balsman. For our last award tonight, I'll be speaking uh for Jean Somerville, our ceramics teacher. This next award is the ceramic studio artist of the year award. It is our absolute
053privilege to present the ceramic studio arts award uh artist of the year award to a graduate who has spent the last few years completely covered in dust, mud, and glory, Jasmine Marks. This award is presented to a graduate of unmatched vision, structural genius, and endless resilience for proving that a true artist cannot be deterred by fire or confined by walls. Whether it is the loss of our art building or a small portable classroom. Through every hardship, you never stopped making great work, turning our tiniest space into a grand studio. You'll be profoundly missed next year, but your creative legacy remains permanently fired into our hearts. As you graduate, remember that the world is just like a slab of clay, and you have the hands, the heart, and the vision to shape it into whatever you
054want. Congratulations, Jenn. Good evening. I am Kristen, president of the sports boosters here at PE, and this is Karen, one of our board members. Tonight, we are honored to recognize four outstanding student athletes who truly represent the Viking spirit. These athletes have demonstrated integrity, dedication, leadership, and excellence both on and off the field. Together, they have proudly represented the Vikings in track, swimming, skiing, cross country, soccer, football, and baseball. All an incredible reflection of their commitment, versatile, versatile, versatility, sorry, I have bad voice tonight, and teamwork. Even more impressive, these four athletes achieved a combined GPA of 4.1, proving that su success in athletics and academics can go hand in hand. Tonight, we celebrate not only their achievements, but also the example they set for younger athletes and our entire community. On behalf of the
055PV Sports Boosters, it is our privilege to award these scholarships to four remarkable individuals who embody what it means to be a Viking. Congrats to each of you. We are proud of you and we cannot wait to see what you accomplish in the future. Once a Viking, always a Viking. Okay, let's announce our winners. We have four $500 scholarships. Our first one's going to go to Emily Aken. And our next winner is Sophia Gard. Next we have Quan Jimmerman. And finally we have Zachma. Hello, my name is Allora Flukard >> and I'm Kristen Wilson Ford >> and we are honored to be here on behalf of Sierra North Valley Realtors. At SNVR, we are committed to supporting our members, advocating for private property rights and homeownership, and serving our communities with integrity and purpose. The
056values that guide our work every day are communication, collaboration, education, and professionalism. Today, we are especially proud to recognize these outstanding students. Their hard work, resilience, dedication to their future is inspiring and we are honored to support them through these next uh support them through these scholarships. Congratulations to each of our recipients. Your future is bright and we cannot wait to see where your journey takes you. Montana achia bazar. Good evening. My name is Dr. Anne Torneni. I'm a pediatric dentist practicing in Chico for about 20 years. I am here representing the local dental community and I'm honored to be awarding the Robert V. Bellon dental community scholarships tonight. Dr. Bellon was a gifted and community-minded oral and maxilla facial surgeon in Chico for many years. He served as a president of the Northern California
057Dental Society, past Rotary President, founding member of the Chico Boys and Girls Club and served on the Chico Community Scholarship Association board. He was very active in charitable organizations throughout the Chico area and particularly loved to be involved in activities that benefited benefited young people. Starting back in 1986, Dr. Bell hosted a picnic annually for the dental community at his home. The purpose of this event was twofold. To serve as a social gathering for dentists and their staff, but more importantly to raise funds for scholarships like the ones we're giving out tonight. After his untimely passing in 1993, the Chico Area dentist established an endowment in his name to continue his legacy of supporting the higher education of our local high school graduating students who are interested in and demonstrate pursuing a career in dentistry.
058That endowment supported by the dentists of Chico has grown over the years and this year we are poised to award nearly $30,000 in dental scholarships to these deserving students. This truly is a whole dental community collaboration. Chances are that all of your local dentists has contributed funds to these scholarships. The applicants interested in pursuing a career in dentistry were outstanding and very numerous this year. The committee was extremely impressed with all of these young people. I'm very excited to hopefully welcome them as colleagues to our profession one day. They not only have stated that they're interested in becoming becoming dentists, but they've supported this by spending hours volunteering, shadowing, learning in all local dental offices, including our own. The future is bright with these driven, kind, and communityminded students. So, the first recipient of the
059balon dental committee scholarship is Grayson Christie. Advocate office for many hours and maintain strong academics and activities. The second recipient is Lucas Jimenez. Academics and shadowing a local dentist was also very impressive. The third recipient is Paige Kennedy, who spent over 100 hours of her own time shadowing and learning in our local dental offices. The fourth recipient is Kayla Mendoza Montes De Osa. She maintains an impressive academic record in school while learning a new language. Oh, this is impressive. And has demonstrated her commitment to become an orthodontist. The final recipient of the Bellon Dental Community Scholarship is Zach Muff. His commitment to academic and activities is unmatched. I'm giving out another scholarship um because the person whose name is on the scholarship is at Fairview High School giving it out in his name there. So,
060I'm honored to be presenting the Steven and Judy Abbott scholarship tonight. Dr. Steven Abbott, DDS, grew up and attended local schools in Chico. He's a graduate of Chico High School, but his children attended Pleasant Valley High School. He and his wife Judy strongly believe in the mission of the Chico Community Scholarship Association in recognizing the outstanding students within the Chico community. CCSA is a nonprofit scholarship organization that recognizes and awards scholarships for graduating students like many tonight. The Abbott family recognizes the importance of CCSA as a way to give back to our community. Dr. Abbott is past president of the CCSA. Under his leadership and many leaders over the years, this organization has grown from a handful of volunteers to a wellorganized large group of volunteers that spent countless hours devoted to local students. Like
061Dr. Bellon, Dr. Dr. Abbott and Judy recognize that our future lies within supporting these excellent and bright students in furthering their education and future careers. Upon high recommendation from the PV counselors, the recipient of this year's Stephen and Judy Abbott scholarship is Abigail Dashard. Good evening. My name is Annabelle Grim and I am here uh representing uh the Chico Rotary Club. Chico Rotary has been here for 105 years. Uh, Chico Rotary is part of the of Rotary International, a service organization with a mission to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the fellowship of business uh, professional and community leaders. I will be giving out the Scott and Cindy Chalmer scholarship. It was established uh to invest in students right here at Pleasant Valley High. Uh this scholarship
062recognizes students who have um not just achieved academic success through by maintaining a GPA of uh 3.0 or higher, but who have also been active in their school and community. This year, we're proud to present four Chalmer scholarships. The first recipient is Sarah Porter. Following Zoe Stifle, Nathan Vanlan, and All right. Our next scholarship is the Montgomery grant. This grant honors Fred McGomery, a life a lifelong Durham resident, Chico Rotarian, and passionate supporter of the agriculture community. This award is given each year to the most proficient and inspiring scholar within the uh school district, a student whose academic excellence and drive we know will carry them forward um through their higher education and throughout life. The student uh this recipient is David Ortaro. The next award is the Rotary Outstanding Citizenship Award. This award is
063presented to one young lady and one young man um at the end of their senior year. The Rotary uh the Rotary Club's four-way test is uh the foundation for the presentation of this award. The guidelines uh are uh the guidelines selection can be broad. Each school will select an award recipient using the guidelines. Uh let me just keep let me keep going. We're going to talk about the four-way test. The four-way test is a cornerstone of all uh action that drives um Rotary. Uh it's the things we think of, say, or do. So here are the questions. The first one, is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all? The test is one of the hallmarks of the Rotary. Since it
064was developed in 1932 by Herbert J. Taylor, who later became Rotary International President, it has never ceased to be irrelevant. So this year's Susan recipients are Tess Rickini and J Good evening. Been quite a night so far. My name is Celio Connell and this is Deie Kaufman and we're from the Chico Community Scholarship Association. We've got quite a few wards awards today. So, uh, get comfy. The, uh, Chico Community Scholarship Association was formed over 50 years ago with a mission to provide scholarship assistance. Our association raises funds for our own CCSA scholarships and also works with donors to establish and award donor named scholarships. Over time, more than 5,300 scholarships totaling over $4.6 million have been awarded to high school seniors in our school district community. This year, 175 students will receive scholarships through the
065Chico Community Scholarship Association totaling over $351,000. parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators. We had a truly amazing student class of great kids apply for scholarships this year. Their achievements are remarkable. We're excited to present these awards. Our first scholarship is actually an anonymous scholarship. The donor of this award wished to remain anonymous but is a very caring member of the Chica community. This award goes to Nolan Helms. >> Our next award is Bera Rebecca Lodge number 60 endowed scholarship. The view of Rebecca Lodge is the female division of the international order of the oddfellows. They are both global altruistic and benevolent organizations promoting goodwill and harmony amongst people and nations. The recipients and we have two of this award are Ellie Addington and Alexandria Riser. Our next award is B County Firefighters Benevolent Foundation. The BU
066County Firefighters Benevolent Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting local firefighters and the community which was established in the late 1970s. It provides financial assistance to firefighters and their families in case Foundation scholarship. This foundation is funded and managed by Jamie and John Workart, former members of CCSA. The awards go to Harleen Park and Eugene Lee. The Chico Breakfast Exchange Club. Exchange clubs are national organizations for men and women who want to serve their communities and strive to make their communities a better place to live. This scholarship is intended for students who serve their community. The award goes to Oscar Melor Sanchez. Our next award is the Cindy Chalmer's Honorary Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded by CCSA in honor of Mrs. Chomers, who was a longtime CCSA board member and advisor, past PTA president,
067Boys and Girls Club supporter, and member of Omega News Sority. She was principally interested in children's education. The award goes to Olive Ernest. Our next scholarship is the Colleen Jarvis Memorial Scholarship. Colleen Jarvis was a Chico City Council member and a family law attorney. Having come from humble beginnings, she worked tirelessly as an advocate for deserving young people throughout her life. Her family and friends thunder scholarship. The award goes to Taylor Bibos. Our next award is the Dearis family scholarship. Dr. Robert and Mrs. Judy Dearis began this fund in 2013. Dr. Dr. Dearis is a retired dentist and their children were educated in Chico schools, prompting their interest in helping local students and their higher education. The award goes to Ariana Christensen. Our next award is the fourth foundation. The four foundation is a private
068nonprofit based in Chico whose focus is to provide education to the people of California regarding environmental issues. We have three recipients. The first is Athena Ashlin Morris. and Maggie Smith family scholarship. This scholarship was created by the Browen family in 1997 to support high school graduates hoping to enter the teaching profession. They believed in the importance of teachers as a positive influence in shaping young people's lives. This student was chosen because of their excellent academic record and their professed desire to become a teacher. Congratulations for making such a meaningful career choice. Darlene Bador. Our next award is the Helen L. White Endowed Memorial Scholarship. Mrs. White was a good friend and dedicated community member to CCSA. The award goes to Benjamin Ingstrom. Our next award is the Kathy Lesie Harden Memorial Scholarship. Kathy Harden was
069a very active board member of CCSA who passed away in 2021. Her family, friends, and the CCSA board funded this memorial scholarship in her name. The recipient is Isabella Ba. Our next award is the Natson and Isim technology consulting scholarship. Matson and I isome technology is one of the north state's leading IT consulting service providers. They help their clients become more successful through the effective use of technology. The recipient of this award is Nicole Doris. Our next award is the Millie Dudley Dudley Zapatini Memorial Scholarship. This memorial scholarship is in honor of donor Chris Zapatini's parents. During their lifetime, they contributed to youth activities, especially for those who were lowincome. This scholarship is to continue their legacy of supporting youth in our community. This 2026 recipient is a student pursu pursuing a degree in the
070medical field. The recipient is Donovan Fitzpatrick. Unfortunately, Donovan's not with us tonight, but we will make sure he gets his award. Our next award is the No Viking Fights Alone Tape Hampton Memorial Scholarship. The No Viking Fights Alone Memorial Scholarship is awarded every year in loving memory of Tate Ferguson Hampton. Tate loved being a Viking. In 2018, Tate was diagnosed with a rare, incurable cancer in his sophomore year. Teammates, friends, teachers, and staff rallied behind him, giving rise to the slogan, "No Viking fights alone." And he never felt alone during the four years of cancer treatments. The No Viking Fights Alone mantra embodies resilience and community support, empowering scholarship recipients to face challenges bravely and with kindness, knowing they are not alone as they strike off onto their next adventure. Congratulations to this year's winner,
071Logan Canning. Our next award is the Owens family scholarship. The Owens family recognizes the hard work and excellent of recipient Namisha Chararma. Our next award is the Piba family farm scholarship. Jim Piba started this endowed scholarship in 2020. The Piba family farm is renowned for its sustainable agricultural practices and has an outstanding record of supporting many charitable causes in the North State. The recipient of this award is David Herado. Our next award is the Paul L. Moore Memorial Scholarship Achievement Award. Dr. Paul Moore served as vice president of student affairs at Chica State from 1988 till 2003. His wife Lorie has been a member of the CCSA board since 2006 and created this scholarship in his name. This year's recipient is a serious student, an athlete, and shows great leadership skills. The recipient is Brett
072Dowy. This next award is near and dear to my heart because it's an award that my husband and I created for the PB High School community. It's the Rescue 42 Engineering and Technology Scholarship. Rescue 42, a Chico manufacturer for over 30 years, specializes in manufacturing and selling deployable satellite communications and fire rescue equipment. As a co-owner and CCSA board member, my husband Tim and I established this scholarship for a student interested in pursuing a degree in engineering or technology. The recipient of this award is Juan Jimmer. Our next award is the Wesley Faith Estate Scholarship. Dr. Wesley Fake left a request in his will to CCSA through John Cow, a longtime CCSA board member, and the proceeds from the sale of properties and goods funds this award. The recipient is Malia Robson. And finally, we
073come to our CCSA scholarships that are given by the board. The following students have been selected for scholarships by the CCSa board of directors from the CCSA general fund in recognition of outstanding scholarship, citizenship, and community service. We have quite a few here. So, okay. The first recipient is Chase Klein. Bradley Douly, Sophia Gujard, Mary Abraham, Mesa Jacques, Benjamin Keller, >> Joel Langley, Thomas Moss, McKenzie Martin, Joshua Milton, Hanu Na, Alyssa Potter, Aman ready, Ka Rodderelli Torres. Alex Wood, Campbell Woods, Owen Yang, And finally, Gracie Yoast. Students, you are so lucky to live in such a caring community. Please thank your donors who have given so generously and congratulations to the class of 2026. Thank you. Good evening, Viking families. My name is Jada Weissaki. I'm one of the counselors here at Pleasant Valley High
074School, and it's my honor and privilege to present this next series of scholarships. California Baptist University President's Academic Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded or excuse me, awards $17,000 per year to incoming freshmen who have a cumulative weighted high school GPA between 3.9 and 3.99. The award is renewable annually. Please help me congratulate this year's recipient, Andrew Roose. The California Baptist University Trustees Scholarship. The Trustees Scholarship at California Baptist University a is a prestigious merit-based award to incoming freshmen offering an annual value of up to $18,000. It is awarded to firsttime students who have achieved a cumulative weighted GPA of 4.0 or higher. Congratulations to this year's recipient, Foster Syncfox, Grand Canyon University's Provost and Thunder Academic Scholarship. This scholarship in the amount of $4,000 is awarded to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and extracurricular
075involvement. Please join me in congratulating Amber Rigby for her outstanding achievement. The Chico State University Wildcat Promise Scholarship. The Wildcat Promise Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship awarded to incoming freshmen who demonstrate outstanding academic performance. Please join me in congratulating this year's recipient, Vivian Emmens. Boise State University Honors College Non-resident Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to non-resident students accepted into the Honors College who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and extracurricular involvement. Congratulations to this year's recipient, Josie French. Montana State Achievement Award. This merit-based scholarship is offered to incoming non-resident freshmen based on their academic achievements throughout their high school career. Please join me in congratulating Jack Fredus on his wonderful achievement. Samford University Davis Scholarship and Crossland Scholarship. Applicants considered for these scholarships display a high level of academic achievement, community involvement. recipients are among an elite
076group of students chosen for their outstanding scholarly achievements, character, commitment to others, and to the common good. The recipient of these scholarship of these scholarships has been awarded a grand total of $19,500 for four years. Congratulations to PE's own Anna Leuk for this outstanding Arizona State University New American University Presidents Scholarship. The New American University President Scholarship is one of ASU's most prestigious merit-based awards, generally providing between $8,000 to $16,500 annually to incoming firstear students. Recipients demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and school involvement. Congratulations to this year's recipient, Grayson Christie. Arizona State University New American University Provost Scholarship. The Provost Scholarship is a pre prestigious merit-based award offered by Arizona State University to high achieving incoming firstear students. It provides renewable financial assistance for undergraduate studies um for individuals who demonstrate high academic achievement and school
077involvement. Congratulations to Hannah Jansen on receiving this scholarship. Golden State Agricultural Foundation Harvest of Merit Award. The goal of the harvest of merit award is to ensure a rewarding experience for the awardees while advancing their understanding of why safe food production and practices is critical to all California communities. David Herertado received a $1,500 award for this for his apiary project on natural insecticides for varomites in honeybeehives. Congratulations to American Legion Girl State. This program and scholarship opportunity is awarded to students who have shown exemplary leadership and civic interest. Girl State provides hands-on experience in state government, preparing young women to be informed and active citizens. Congratulations to Pleasant Valley High School's delegate, Miss Campbell Woods. Hi everyone. My name is Jessica Eastern, another counselor here at PV and I have the honor of wrapping up
078this amazing celebratory evening. Um I'm going to start by presenting some scholarships on behalf of presenters who couldn't be here tonight with the Travis Satderland scholarship. Um, Travis Sutherland was a former social science teacher at PB. He was well respected by both staff and students alike. Each year, he generously provides a scholarship to a senior that demonstrates grit, resilience, and works hard with their studies against all odds. This year's deserving recipient is Alex Wood. The next scholarship is the Elts National Foundation Legacy Award. It provides a 4-year scholarship to high school seniors who are children or grandchildren of ELTs members commended for having the core values of the Elks National Foundation. Knowledge, charity, community, and integrity. This year's recipients are Josie French and Quang Jimmerson. All right. The California Nevada Intercolastic Ski and Snowboard Federation
079provides opportunities for graduating high school senior athletes participating in Nordic and Alpine Racing and supports students athletes who demonstrate a balance of academic excellence, athletic dedication, and good sportsmanship. This year's recipient is Leila Matroka. Next, I'll be presenting the Dean M. Counums Memorial Scholarship. Dean Kums was born and raised in Paradise, California. He attended Paradise Schools, but Community College in Chico State, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in construction management. He was an avid believer in education after high school, whether it be at a university, state college, community college, or trade school. Unfortunately, he passed away at an early age. So, in his honor, his family chose to use whatever investments he had to help students continue their education with a scholarship in his memory. Congratulations to Wyatt Adams. The Northern California District Exchange
080Club's Youth of the Year Award is a prestigious scholarship program recognizing outstanding high school seniors who demonstrate excellence in academics, leadership, school involvement, community service, and character. This year's recipient is Campbell Woods. The next several scholarships I'll be presenting are through the North Valley Community Foundation. It's a collection of over two dozen memorial and community funded scholarships designed to support students in their post-secary education. The first scholarship is the Altacol Audabon Elizabeth I. Brown High School Scholarship. It's awarded to students pursuing a degree in the natural or environmental sciences who demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship, wildlife conservation, and protecting natural habitats. The scholarship supports students who seek to better understand the interconnectedness of living species and use their knowledge and skills to make a positive impact on the environment. Congratulations, David Herertado and Ashlin
081Morris. Next is the bridging the gap for breast cancer scholarship. This scholarship supports graduating seniors from but Glenn and Tata counties who've been personally impacted by breast cancer through a parent or sibling. In addition to providing community support and resources for individuals undergoing treatment, this fund awards scholarships to students pursuing higher education at an accredited institution. This year's recipients are Bradley Douly and Abigail Gashard. The North Valley Community Foundation Leadership Scholarship is a leadership focused award where candidates are selected based on their exceptional community involvement, demonstrated leadership skills, personal drive, and academic promise. Congratulations, Lucas Himenez and Oscar Olsen. I'll be presenting the B County 4 scholarship on behalf of the BU County 4 scholarship committee. The committee was impressed with these students overall involvement in 4, their leadership skills, interview skills, and would like
082to thank the recipients for their many years of hard work and dedication to the BU County 4 program. Congratulations Virginia Agurkis and David All right, circling back to two more Northern Valley Community Foundation scholarships. The Cindy Kennedy Memorial Scholarship. Since 2013, the Cindy Kennedy Memorial Scholarship is offered annually in memory of Cynthia Anne Kennedy, mother of 2011 Chico High School graduate Levi Stanton. This scholarship is financed by those who loved and supported Cindy and by those who continue to love and support her family. From mundane tasks to major endeavors, Cindy approached her life with a high spirit and a dogged determination. From a young age, she used a goal oriented approach to realize her many dreams. These were among other things traveling to over 30 countries. Graduating Sumakun Lad from the California State University Chico
083with a degree in multicultural and gender studies. She founded the Namaste House children's home in Nepal and an and provided the support of her son Levi needed in order to obtain a full scholarship from Princeton University. In addition, Cindy was a devoted friend to many and was always available to lend a word of advice, a sympathetic ear, or a hand in support. Congratulations, Paige Kennedy, McKenzie Martin, Oscar Pson, Campbell Woods, and Gracie Yos. All right, next up is the Matt Schneider Memorial Scholarship. Matt was an avid tennis player all of his life. He enjoyed teaching his son Jason and his daughter Leah the skills and techniques of tennis. He was a member of the Chico Raet Club for many years and built a strong community of tennis friends. Matt thoroughly enjoyed tennis and it brought
084a lot of joy to his life as well as his family. His loved ones created this memorial scholarship in Matt's name to give back to fellow tennis players as they move forward in life and graduate high school. This year's deserving recipients are David Herertado and Campbell Woods. All right, now we'll switch gears to um two Chico Unified Teachers Association scholarships. The first being the atlarge scholarship. Every year, the Chico Unified Teachers Association recognizes graduating seniors in Chico Unified with scholarships for college. Students are selected based on their dedication to learning, their commitment to school, and community activities such as clubs, athletics, volunteer work, employment, and unique hobbies and interests. This year's three recipients from PV are Dene Bador, Josie French, and Ava Kaikendall. And the last scholarship of the evening is the CUTA member dependent
085scholarship. The Chico Unified Teachers Association Member Dependent Scholarship is awarded to students whose parent or guardian is a proud CUTA member. This scholarship honors academic achievement, school and community involvement, and the values shared by educators and their families. This year, the scholarship is being awarded to a deserving student who has shown exceptional promise and dedication. Congratulations, Quan Jimmerson. Thank you, everyone. Turning it back over to Mr. Whitaker for his closing remarks. Okay, what an amazing night. Um, so excited for all of you and all your accomplishments this year. Um, I do want to extend some thank yous. Uh, before we close out this evening, I would like to thank our amazing counseling team and the counseling department for putting this night together. They did an incredible job. This is a lot of uh time, effort,
086energy, commitment to making this night a success. organization, getting everything correct, contacting um the presenters. There's so much that goes into this evening and our counselors do an amazing job. And so, please uh round of applause for our counseling team. We're also very grateful uh to our pres presenters tonight. Um thank you for taking the time to be part of this evening. Thank you to our families for supporting our students. And lastly, I would like to again congratulate and thank all of our seniors who were recognized here this evening. Uh this evening like allows us to showcase the special talents and the special people you all are. Um thank you again for attending tonight. Thank you so much um to all the seniors and congratulations again. Best of luck. We'll see you at graduation. All
087right. Have a good day.