The Rotary Club of Menlo Park is delighted to announce the recipients of their annual scholarships and scholastic achievement awards honoring students from Menlo-Atherton High School, Eastside College Preparatory, East Palo Alto Academy, Sacred Heart Preparatory, and Menlo School. Over 120 students were recognized for their academic prowess in a wide variety of subjects, including many levels of math and science, industrial arts, social sciences, languages, fine arts, and community service. Instructors at each school identify the top scholars in their fields to be celebrated at this Rotary-sponsored event. In addition, 15 local students who demonstrated academic excellence, financial need, and a commitment to community service, were awarded scholarships to assist them in attending four-year colleges.
The Rotary Club of Menlo Park is delighted to announce the recipients of their annual scholarships and scholastic achievement awards honoring students from Menlo-Atherton High School, Eastside College Preparatory, East Palo Alto Academy, Sacred Heart Preparatory, and Menlo School. Over 120 students were recognized for their academic prowess in a wide variety of subjects, including many levels of math and science, industrial arts, social sciences, languages, fine arts, and community service. Instructors at each school identify the top scholars in their fields to be celebrated at this Rotary-sponsored event.
In addition, 15 local students who demonstrated academic excellence, financial need, and a commitment to community service, were awarded scholarships to assist them in attending four-year colleges. The Rotary Club of Menlo Park evaluates all applications and interviews finalists. In addition to a monetary award, Rotary scholars are assigned a mentor, given access to networking and other enrichment programs, and are encouraged to attend a Rotary Club meeting or seek out the college level Rotaract Club at their university. The following are the names of the scholarships, the recipient's name and high school, and the college the recipient plans to attend:
John D. Russell Scholarship: Jocelyn Arias, Menlo-Atherton High School, UC Davis
Crittenden Family Scholarship: Ricardo Silva Rios, East Palo Alto Academy, UCLA
Mary Ann Somerville Scholarship: Aby Zarza, Eastside College Preparatory, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Wilcox & Sandra Patterson Scholarship: Brianna Aguayo Villalon, Menlo Atherton High School, UC Berkeley
Robert G. Paroli Family Scholarship: Geovany Castro, Menlo Atherton High School, UC Berkeley
Orm and Doris Rector Scholarship: Mariana Palafox, Menlo Atherton High School, UC Berkeley
Tom and Barbara Borden Scholarship: Esteban Garcia Mancia, East Palo Alto Academy, UC San Diego
Meta Scholarship: Christian Sbragia, East Palo Alto Academy, California State University East Bay
Sponsor-A-Scholar Scholarships:
Christopher Guerrero Beltran, Eastside College Preparatory, Swarthmore University
Esmeralda Pacheco Alvarez, East Palo Alto Academy, UC Los Angeles
Samantha Sandoval, Eastside College Preparatory, UC Santa Cruz
Tarlton Foundation Scholarships:
Luis Mendoza, Sacred Heart Preparatory, Loyola Marymount University
Victor Navarrete, Merced
Tsui/Tsiang Family Math & Science Scholarship:
Paulina Gutierrez, Menlo Atherton High School, UC Davis
Peninsula College Fund/Rotary Club of Menlo Park Scholarship:
Yajaira Ruiz-Velasquez, East Palo Alto Academy, UC Santa Cruz
And 4 Menlo-Atherton High School students were given Alice Kleeman Community College Awards:
Jehilen Ayala Caballero
Isaac Cardenas
Jorge Cuevas Sanchez
Osvaldo Jimenez Tellez
The financial arm of the Rotary Club of Menlo Park is its Foundation, a tax-exempt 501c(3) charitable foundation that receives donations and bequests from club members and outside individuals/organizations. The Club's annual Tour de Menlo Bike Ride generates funds for the Rotary Club of Menlo Park’s scholarships program and community gifts program. This year the Foundation will provide $145,000 in scholarships and $50,000 to local non-profit groups provided by donations, earnings from endowment funds, and the Tour de Menlo.
The new Sponsor-A-Scholar program allows an individual or a group of up to four individuals to make a four-year commitment of at least $2,000/year for a scholarship to a local high school senior who will head to college in the fall. This four-year pledge allows a sponsor to follow the student from freshman year to graduation. For more information or to become a sponsor, see https://menloparkrotary.org/page/sponsor-a-scholar or contact sponsorascholar@menloparkrotary.org