Wasco Community Scholarship Association awards $117k

For the third consecutive year, the Wasco Community Scholarship Association has awarded over $100,000 to graduating seniors and alums of Wasco High School.

In 2022, WCSA gave $100,000 for the first time. The following year, the award total was $107,000. This year, 32 scholarships were provided for a total of $117,000. "I am thrilled for the Wasco High students who continue to benefit from WCSA scholarships," Wasco High Superintendent and WCSA Director Kevin Tallon said. "The WCSA has had many longtime supporters whose generosity continues to benefit generation after generation of Wasco High students. It is a blessing to many, and I know the students are thankful."

Twenty graduating seniors in the Class of 2024 received $52,000 in scholarship awards, with the balance going to 12 alumni recipients. Six Wasco High students received two-year scholarships for junior college or trade school, and 14 graduating seniors were awarded scholarships for four-year colleges.

The 20 graduating seniors who received scholarships are Emily Alba, Diego Gomez, Esteban Hernandez, Benito Juarez, Isabella Moreno, Amber Newby, Isaac Ocampo, Zayda Orpineda Herrera, Karly Perez, Briseida Ruiz, Armando Saldana, Andy Santana, Maria de Jesus Soto Bravo, Hope Valdivia, Diego Acosta, Irais Aguero, Julian Alvarez, Branden Green, Estevan Nieto and Xitlaly Rivera.

WCSA President Betsy Rogers said, "We were pleased that we had a large number of applicants this year and wish we could have given out more. The competition was fierce."

The selection process is demanding, with applicants required to fill out a rigorous scholarship application, including the student's transcripts, references, school and community activities, and employment history, along with a one-page essay. After the March deadline, the WCSA Awards Committee evaluates the applications, and the scholars are notified in May.

Sharon Sharp, a WCSA director, said, "The WCSA is important and valuable. It's important because, even beyond the money, it's investing in the future of these students and telling them that their community believes in them. It's so meaningful to get a scholarship from your community."

WCSA receives donations from current residents, alumni, clubs, organizations and businesses. In addition, it hosts The Jesse Acebedo Annual Memorial Golf Tournament each October.

The WCSA has provided scholarships to Wasco High alums and graduating seniors for over 50 years. Since its inception in 1965, the WCSA has given more than a million dollars in scholarships. Its board is mainly composed of Wasco High alumni committed to helping graduates achieve their goals through continuing education.

Donations can be made on WCSA website, wascocommunityscholarship.org/donate. Email contact@wascocommunityscholarship.org for more information. The WCSA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible.