Community members and organizations are coming together during this unprecedented time to find creative ways to honor graduating seniors and their accomplishments this year despite the inability to gather. The Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce and radio station KELA/KMNT partnered up to conduct the Top 25 Rob Fuller Scholarship Awards Banquet to announce the recipients of $20,000 in scholarships live on the air on Thursday evening.
“We want to remind all of the seniors in Lewis County that you are important and you matter to the business community. A combined total of $20,000 has been put back into the higher education of local students and the community is to be commended for the support and guidance that they provide by rallying around our seniors,” said Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Alicia Bull.
Each of the top 25 students from both Centralia High School and W.F. West High School had the opportunity to go to the KELA studio and record an audio clip of their name, high school and plans after high school. The recorded introductions were played on air during the event.
The top 25 students from Centralia High School are Megan Allen, Elida Ambriz, Eric Ballard, Kimberly Contreras Maldonado, William Dean, Benjamin Demaris, Sophie Duffy, Alexandra Erb, Jadon Grimes, Savannah Hankins, Alexia Hansen, Lillian Johnson, Sheila Johnson, Carissa Kaut, Gabriel Lewis, Miriam Martinez, Cameron Moore, Arturo Peralta-Morales, Rebekah Robbins, Jesusa Rodas Gaspar Brynna Rooklidge, Cheyenne Sanford, Shayna Sekerak, Kylie Sharp and Kennedy Strophy.
The top 25 students from W.F. West High School in Chehalis are Lucas Amrine, Olivia Braun, Ellie Bunker, Ava Chrisman, Ryan Correia, Kaylee Dexter, Ava Fugate, Macy Gaudette, Jisu Han, Kyla Johnston, Wenxuan Ma, Taya McCallum, Olivia Nesheim, Kelly Parke, Bryan Sells, Nathaniel Serl, Gabriel Sheets, Colin Slattery, Lalea Tanaka, Kady Taylor, Maggie Vadala, Annika Waring, Nina Wearner, Ashlyn Whalen and Erin Wylam.
“We are really excited to be honoring our top 25 students. To be a top 25 student you have to be beyond focused and a lot of these students when you’re looking at their resumes have taken AP, advanced college courses and are even getting their AA’s as they graduate from Centralia College here in our own community,” said Bull.
Each top 25 student from each school has been sponsored by an individual, business or organization within the community and will receive a top 25 certificate, a $25 gift card, randomly awarded prizes, a mask created with their respective high school’s colors, and a top 25 yard sign.
“Higher education to us doesn’t necessarily mean a four-year degree. These scholarships that are given out are going to be going to students that are going to two-years, to trade school to four-years. We want to acknowledge that everyone has their own path and higher education is very important,” said Bull.
The recipients of the Rob Fuller Scholarship, each receiving $1,000, are Ava Fugate, Kayden Kelly, Ryan Mack, Rebecca Deskins, Abigail Schoelkopf, Caleb Walters, Lucas Amrine, Kady Taylor, Colin Slattery, Desaree Brower, Ashlyn Whalen and Annika Waring.
The Rob Fuller Scholarships were open to all students attending either Centralia or W.F. West High School.
“Rob Fuller was a community man that had quite an impact on our local area. He was the president of Fuller’s and was one of the most giving people I’ve ever known. He was kind and gave all of his financial capabilities back to many people within our community but specifically focused on youth in our area,” said Bull.
Fuller died in 2011 at the age of 67 after a battle with cancer. After his death, the Centralia Chehalis Chamber of Commerce changed the name of the scholarship program to the Rob Fuller Scholarship, said Bull.
The following scholarships are all in the amount of $1,000. The Cheyllyn Collinsworth Scholarship was awarded to Kylie Sharp from Centralia High School and was sponsored by Centralia Althauser Rayan Abbarno, LLP; the Boys & Girls Club Scholarship was awarded to Rome Zucati from W.F. West High School; the Centralia Community Foundation Scholarship was awarded to Kennedy Strophy of Centralia High School; the Olivia Mitchell Scholarship was awarded to Jake Eko of Adna High School; the Rainier Connect Scholarship was awarded to Kyla Johnston of W.F. West High School; the Title Guaranty Scholarship was awarded to Gabriel Sheets of W.F. West High School; the TwinStar Credit Union Scholarship was awarded to Josiah Johnson of W.F. West High School, the Visiting Nurses Scholarship was awarded to Alexandra Erb who will graduate from Centralia High School; and the Valley View Health Center Scholarship was awarded to Brooke Studeman of Centralia High School.
“We will be cutting checks and getting that scholarship money out to students within the next month,” said Bull.
