UKIAH CA�- �Mendo Lake Credit Union (MLCU) is honoring top fifth-graders, high school and community college students in Lake and Mendocino counties with scholarships and achievement awards this year. The award winners were recently announced by the credit union, and MLCU representatives visited the schools to make the award presentations.
Three fifth-graders in Mendocino and Lake County schools are receiving awards made possible this year by Mendo Lake Credit Unions participation in the Mendocino College Foundations
Adopt-A-Fifth-Grader Program.
For the Mendocino College Foundations program, contributors like MLCU sponsor fifth-graders at elementary schools within the Mendocino-Lake Community College District by donating an amount that grows into a full $1,000 scholarship by the time the student is set to graduate, seven years later.� The program is designed to give students an additional incentive to finish high school and move on the college.
Each fifth-grade honoree receives $25 and a certificate as the recipient of the award. Upon graduation from high school, the student receives either a $500 cash incentive or a $1,000 scholarship if he or she elects to attend Mendocino College.� Isis Muniz and David Currillo were recipients from Oak Manor Elementary School in Ukiah.� Delaney Peters received the award at Round Valley School in Covelo. In Lakeport, student Mia DePaz Flores of Terrace Middle School was selected for the honor. These awards were made possible by donations from the Mendo Lake Credit Union.� Additionally, the credit union matched the students $25 prize with an offer to open an MLCU college savings account with the contribution of an additional $25, according to the credit unions chief executive officer, Richard Cooper, who is vice chair of the Mendocino College Foundations Board of Directors.
Receiving the credit unions
Arlene Colombini Scholarships in Mendocino County were Diana Castro of Mendocino College and Mei Lin Jackson of Mendocino High School. In Lake County, the Colombini Scholarships were awarded to Savannah Koch of Lower Lake High School and Jacob Prather of Clear Lake High School in Lakeport.
Named for Arlene Colombini in recognition of her over 50 years of volunteer service to Mendo Lake Credit Union, the $1,000 scholarships are awarded to four Lake and Mendocino County high school or community college students each year. Each recipient of the scholarship must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average, be enrolled for 12 units or more in a college or university, and submit a personal statement that describes his or her life goals and need for the award.
MLCU also partners with Migrant Education of Lake County to offer two $250 scholarships to local students.� This years winners for the MLCU Migrant Education Scholarships were Luciana Mosqueda and Carmen Gonzalez, both from Kelseyville High School.
"We are proud to recognize these successful individuals and help them with their future educational endeavors," said Richard Cooper, chief executive officer of the credit union.
MLCU also announced the high school winners of the
2013 Mendo Lake Credit Union Achievement Awards. "Our Achievement Awards program honors outstanding high school seniors whose scholastic attainment, sense of responsibility, community service, and evidence of leadership give the most promise of success and service to society," said Cooper. The credit union presents certificates to students who have demonstrated excellence in specific study areas. Honorariums in the amount of $50 each are awarded to two students who represent "the highest level of attainment overall" at each high school. Honorees are selected by staff at the schools.� Sponsorship of these awards was made possible by MLCU after one of the large national banks dropped the program.� The winners at each of the high schools are:
Clear Lake High School (Lakeport): $50 scholarships to Shao Jai Chang and Evan Thompson; Certificates to Brea Jackson (English), Max Scully (English as a second language), Derek Funderberg (foreign language), Zoe Swanson (history/social science), Sam Omiotek (science), Alex Andrews (math), Michelle Knudson (computer studies), Kacey Mather (trades and industrial), Haley Garzoli (art), Zuhuri Manley (music) and Sierra Sexton (drama).
Kelseyville High School: $50 scholarships to Amanda Spitzer and Sydney Odom; Certificates to Helen Ryan (English), Jazmin Perez (English as a second language), Cameron Bell (foreign language), Corey Thomas (history/social science), Jessica Gonzalez (science), Onnivin Pelzel (math), Brenda Duran (computer studies), Jazmen Ruiz (trades and industrial), Michaela Rew (art), Max Whitaker (music) and Reba Thompson (drama).
Lower Lake High School: $50 scholarships to Kristi Heitz and William McKee; Certificates to Savannah Koch (English), Alejandro Macias (English as a second language), Zane Kazaka (foreign language), Cesar Ruiz (history/social science and math), Sierra Dillingham (science), Byanca Santana (medical terminology), Derek Jones (automotive pathway), Leslie Fernandez (culinary arts), Amanda Williams (music) and Tiffany Sillert (drama).
Middletown High School: $50 scholarships to Monique Gibbs and Jacob Gill; Certificates to Grace Becker (English), Jose Vasquez-Porras (English as a second language), Jennifer Hurtado (foreign language), Mailea Pane (history/social science), Cheyenne Horvath (science), Alana McSween (math), Jherico Earl (trades and industrial), Eric Lopez (art), Kristina Hermann (music) and Ashley Thompson (drama).
Upper Lake High School: $50 scholarships to Jesus Martinez and Shayla Wyman; certificates to Connor McVey (English), Sang Min Park (English as a second language), Christian Saragina (foreign language), Kelsey Pearl (history/social science), Jessica Reyes-Martin (science and math), Norman Valdez (computer studies), Alex Kranich (trades and industrial) and Laura Wright (art).
MLCU is a Community Development Credit Union serving Mendocino and Lake Counties in northern California with branches in Fort Bragg, Ukiah, Lakeport and Clearlake. For more information, contact Jamey Gill, Director of Marketing and Community Outreach at
jameyg@mlcu.org or 707/467-4809.
