By AMY DAVIS
The Progress
Senior Awards Night was held at Virgin Valley High School on Tuesday May 17. Seniors, parents, administration, and faculty members rallied around the soon-to-be graduates giving them words of encouragement and distributing a total of nearly $70,000 in locally-generated scholarship aid.
VVHS Assistant Principal Jaydel Wilson presided over the event expressed gratitude to all of the generous donors of scholarship awards.
“VVHS is extremely grateful for the continued generosity of our community,” Wilson said. “Each year they provide many scholarships to our senior class. It is a testament to the amazing people we have in Mesquite. Thank you to all who donate in support of our graduating seniors.”
Prior to the awarding of scholarships, dozens of academic awards were granted. Valedictorians, Willa Rae St. Germain and Maya Solis-Stokes and Salutatorian Leieste Renna Macias were recognized.
“This is a night where we are able to recognize and honor students who have gone above and beyond in their educational endeavors and present scholarship money to those deserving,” VVHS Counselor Whitney Jensen. “The class of 2022 is going to do BIG things!”
The presenting of the scholarships began with the American Legion Post 24 Arlo Q Leavitt Award. It was granted to Ashten Roman Campbell Smith.
The Bruce King Memorial Award was awarded to Daygan JK Paytas.
The DeLos Perkins Memorial Scholarships were awarded to Cameron Perkins, Javen Laub, Leieste Macias, Laila Ponce, Savannah Poole and Abbie Wilson.
As is an ongoing custom, the Joe and Dixie Bowler Scholarship in the amount of $500.00 was awarded to every single senior headed for higher education.
The A.C.E. Exchange Club Scholarship was granted to Anthony Mendez.
The Progress Scholarship, given by the newspaper for excellence in citizen journalism, was awarded to Calla Haviland.
The Independent Women in Business Scholarship was granted to Alicia Hermosillo.
More than $15,000 in Mesquite Community Education Foundation Scholarships were awarded to Maya Solis-Stokes, Anthony Mendez Campbell Smith, Daytan Paytas, Savannah Poole, Alicia Hermosillo, Ellie Lewandowski, Laila Ponce, Sierra Kammerer, Silla St. Germain, Mason Yost and Adison Snyder.
The Mesa View Medical Staff-Physicians and Providers/ Mesa View Regional Hospital scholarship was presented to Michael Baltazar, Adison Maria Snyder, Savannah Poole and Daygan Paytas.
Mesquite Elks Lodge #2811 awarded academic scholarships to Olivia Tobler and Anthony Mendez.
Mesa View Physical Therapy Awarded a scholarship to Maya Solis-Stokes.
Lydia Wakefield received the Mesa View Hospice Scholarship.
Mesa View Homecare awarded scholarship money to Laila Ponce.
The Mesquite Western Poet Scholarship was awarded to Adalynn Avila.
The Mesquite Sunrise Rotary Club awarded scholarships to Elizabeth Glammeyer, Javen Laub, Willa St. Germain, Laila Ponce, Leieste Macias and Anthony Mendez.
The MPOA awarded an Academic and Future Community Involvement Scholarship in the to Leieste Macias and Community Leadership Scholarship to Calla Haviland.
Overton Power District #5 Awarded scholarships to eight students including Adalee Anderson, Adalyn Avila, Michael Baltazar, Calla Haviland, Sierra Kammerer, Anthony Mendez, Daygan Paytas and Maya Solis-Stokes.
The Joan Bacso P.E.O. Scholarship was awarded to Campbell Smith.
The Andrea Boss Jensen Ronald McDonald House Scholarship was granted to Emma Hughes and Alicia Hermosillo.
Primex Plastics presented scholarships to four students including Willa St. Germain, Michael Baltazar, Sierra Kammerer and Campbell Smith.
The Southern Nevada Symphony Scholarship was presented to Adalynn Avila.
The Virgin Valley Artists’ Association Scholarship was awarded to Adalyn Avila and Malia McOmie.
The VVHS Mentorship Scholarship was araded to Anthony Mendez.
The VVHS Faculty and Staff Scholarships were awarded to Abbie Wilson, Jesus Soriano Landeros, Jorge Miramontes, Leslie Salazar, Myriam Ramirez, Riley Clayton and Trinity Spencer.
The Riley Frei Principal Achievement Scholarship was awarded to Gavin Brown.
Students receiving scholarships were grateful for the assistance from the community.
“I am honestly stunned.” said Anthony Mendez who received several scholarships in the evening.
Mendez said he had no idea he was going to be awarded so many scholarships. “I am so thankful for the generosity of all of these people. It feels so great!”
Mendez is headed to Arizona in the Fall to attend Universal Technical Institute.
Another multischolarship award winner was the Progress’ own, Calla Haviland. Haviland has been writing articles for The Progress since she was a sophomore. She said she was humbled to have her name called over and over during the evening. “I just feel so grateful!” she said. “It was so exciting and surprising. This is amazing!”
Haviland plans to attend BYU in the Fall.
Wilson closed the event with some poignant words for the graduating class. “I want you to think about what I am about to say,” Wilson said. “As you go out into the world, remember, a ship is safe in the harbor, but that is not why people build ships.”
