Rotary makes annual scholarship awards

The Scholarship Recipients that were in attendance at the presentation

May 16, 2013

HIGHLANDS – The Rotary Club of Highlands presented 18 students with scholarships last Tuesday evening at an awards banquet, held at the Community Center. The scholarships, in amount varying from $1500 to $2500, totalled $30,000. The money was raised at community events, especially the Chili Feast held annually in February.

The keynote speaker for the evening was the superintendent of the Goose Creek schools, Dr. Salvador Cavazos. With wit and wisdom, he spoke to the students and the audience of parents and Rotarians about his life, and early childhood with five siblings, viewed as a “novel” that is only half done, and his early lessons of Perseverance, Passion, and Plan that should guide our life. He said that after spending 13 years of his life in college, he learned the purpose: to Create a new Reality. He said that Education is a Life Changer.

The Scholarship Awards were under the direction of Rotarian Dr. Larry White, assisted by a committee of nine other Rotarians who reviewed 68 applications and recommended 18 awards. Criteria were academic achievement, need, extracurricular activities, work ethic, and intangibles (such as essays or other presented materials).

Recipients of the scholarships, their intended college and major, are as follows:

Sterling High School:

–Erin Reisner, Univ. of Houston, Health and Nutrition

Crosby High School:

–Taylor Sneed, Texas A & M, veterinarian

–Jessica Muldrow, Stephen F. Austin Univ, music director

Goose Creek Memorial:

–Heather Hooey, UT San Antonio, Kesiology

–Emily Brown, Brigham Young, Accounting

–Brittany Cortez, Galveston Jr. College/UTMB, Nursing

–Keely Walker, Texas Tech, Business/Accounting

–Miriah Spurgeon, Lee College/TAMU, Business

–Jaquelin Camarillo, Lee College/UTMB, Nursing

–Faith Doucette, Univ. of Houston, Business

–Victor Chavez, UT Austin, Environmental Science

–Ethan Hunt, Rice Univ., Physics/Chemistry

College Students:

–Dianna Muldrow

–Melanie Muldrow

–Amy Brewer

W.L. HERNDON DDS SCHOLARSHIP, presented by Patricia Scott:

–Brittany McGhee, (Goose Creek Memorial), San Jacinto College, Radiology

PAT MCPHEE SCHOLARSHIP, presented by Barbara McPhee:

–Dalton Cook (Crosby High School)

JAY E. BIRD SCHOLARSHIP, presented by Weston Cotten:

–Melissa Valdez, (Chinquapin School), UT San Antonio, Engineering

At the conclusion of the ceremony, presided over by Rotary president Dane Listi and Dr. White, the audience was encouraged to comment on the evening, and Rotarians spoke about the club and the scholarships.