More Than $1 Million in Scholarships Awarded to County Students

Sixty Adams County high school students were awarded scholarships totaling more than $1 million on Thursday, May 30, through the Adams County Scholarship Fund. Adams County Commissioners introduced the Scholarship Fund in 2016 in partnership with the Colorado Department of Higher Education's Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative.

“It is our honor to award these well-deserving students with scholarships that will enable them to continue their academic successes and provide them opportunities they may not have otherwise had,” said Steve O’Dorisio, Board of Commissioners chair. 

The scholarships were funded with the voter-approved three percent sales tax on retail marijuana sales in the county. In addition, the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative matched the sales tax funds to increase the scholarship pool.

High-achieving students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program were eligible to apply for one of the scholarships.

As this is the fourth consecutive year for the scholarship fund, a member of the first graduating class of scholarship recipients was in attendance at the banquet on May 30. Vy Le graduated from University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in computer science.

The Board of Commissioners identified Adams County Education Consortium (ACEC) as the fiscal agent for the Adams County Scholarship Fund. ACEC works directly with county school districts or school district foundations. Those include Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Adams 14 Education Foundation, School District 27J Education Foundation, Mapleton District 1 Education Foundation, Westminster District 50 Education Foundation, Strasburg School District 31J, and Bennett School District 29J.

Adams 12 Five Star Schools
Ashely Garcia, $21,372 scholarship
Madilynn Haines, $21,372 scholarship
Brianna Hintz, $21,372 scholarship
Adrian Kelly, $21,372 scholarship
Sharon Lau, $21,372 scholarship
Thy Luong, $21,372 scholarship
Jason Mushabe, $21,372 scholarship
Trinity O'Malley, $21,372 scholarship
Madeline Owen, $21,372 scholarship
Hattie Rice, $21,372 scholarship
Kiana Rodriguez, $21,372 scholarship
Lindsey Salazar Soto, $21,372 scholarship
Timothy Sanders, $21,372 scholarship
Autumn Sorrentino, $21,372 scholarship
Christa Thammavong, $21,372 scholarship
Tabor Thoms, $21,372 scholarship
Mitzy Torres, $21,372 scholarship
Gavin Unrue, $21,372 scholarship
Julianne Verde, $21,372 scholarship
Trinity Vigil, $21,372 scholarship
Grace Wright-Redard, $21,372 scholarship

Adams County School District 14
Nicole Bopp, $5,000 scholarship
Ximena Casillas, $14,000 scholarship
Bianca Estrada, $14,000 scholarship
Mayra Fonseca, $14,000 scholarship
Jose Galvan, $14,000 scholarship
Cielo Garcia Chavez, $14,000 scholarship
Angela Herrera, $14,000 scholarship
Jamie Morales, $5,000 scholarship
Bryonna Mullaney, $14,000 scholarship
Krysna Quinonez Gasca, $14,000 scholarship
April Saucedo, $14,000 scholarship
Jennifer Zarate, $14,000 scholarship

Bennett School District 29J
Alexis Rayburn, $4,478.60 scholarship
Faythe McKellip, $2,239.30 scholarship

Mapleton Public Schools
Brianna Ciancio, $20,000 scholarship
Daisy Gallegos, $10,000 scholarship
Estrella Martinez, $20,000 scholarship
Kaycee Walcyzk, $10,000 scholarship
Micah Chacon, $10,000 scholarship
Jasmeen Kaur, $10,000 scholarship
Maritsa Valdovinos, $20,000 scholarship
Deria Silevani, $10,000 scholarship
Brandon Martinez, $10,000 scholarship

School District 27J
Sasha Bailey, $17,500 scholarship
Avril Cruz, $17,500 scholarship
Brianna Dalton, $17,500 scholarship
Jerry Gutierrez, $17,500 scholarship
Kaitlyn Howard, $17,500 scholarship
Camila Jimenez, $17,500 scholarship
Jason Lovett, $17,500 scholarship
Emilio Martinez, $17,500 scholarship
Ana Valladares, $17,500 scholarship

Strasburg School District 31J
Jessica Castillo, $9,429 scholarship

Westminster Public Schools
Anecia Al-Baweb, $20,000 scholarship
Sawyer Bieske, $20,000 scholarship
Jetzabe DeAnda, $20,000 scholarship
Julia Pham, $20,000 scholarship
Yamileth Salinas, $20,000 scholarship
Janeth Villalobos, $20,000 scholarship