FAA awards scholarships

The Folsom Athletic Association continues to make Folsom a better place to live. For years, the FAA has awarded scholarships to graduating students and this year the non-profit organization is at it again, awarding 29 scholarships to seniors from three different high schools for a total of $24,800. The FAA made several changes to some of these scholarships this year, including offering scholarships to Folsom Lake graduates. The Summer Kempton Memorial Scholarship now includes Vista del Lago graduates. Scholarships are now open to just about anyone, as applicants can be students who plan to attend a community college or university, military, law enforcement, fire academy, trade or tech school or in the case of Folsom Lake High School, to join the workforce. The requirement to participate in sports is now open to private and club sports, including baseball, volleyball, basketball, swimming, cheer, etc.) equestrian, martial arts, mountain biking, extreme sports, snow and ice sports, hunting, angling or archery, as an example. With the scholarships open to more student-athletes because of these changes, it made for a more competitive and meaningful process. Scholarship funds are raised through various programs and events; the number-one source being the annual fireworks fundraiser. FAA board members and select individuals serve as the scholarship committee. Applicants are interviewed by the different panels. FAA awards are presented by the board at each of the school's awards ceremony. "The Folsom Athletic Association has and will continue the legacy set forth by its previous leadership to ensure Folsom youth will have every opportunity to participate in athletics," said Rich Francis, Vice President and the Scholarship Committee chair. "We at the FAA will continue to dedicate our efforts to Folsom youth through teamwork, partnerships, fundraising, events and scholarships." One student from Folsom High and Vista del Lago won the $1,500 Chuck Harrison PACE Scholarship. Harrison was a long-time employee with the city of Folsom. This scholarship is awarded to the most deserving applicants who apply for any of the scholarships offered by the FAA. Folsom High's Ava A. Brown and Vista's Morgan Gore won these scholarships. The Lois B. Young Scholarship, named after an early board member of the FAA, has been awarded to student athletes since 1990 that excel both in the classroom as well as the athletic field, and who are also big in extracurricular activities and serve the community. Seven winners of this $1,000 scholarship from Folsom High include Teresa Gonzalez, Makayla Jackson, Mindy Kim, Steven Nardinelli, Lukas Regan, Katie Richardson and Jordyn Scott. One winner from Vista del Lago was Ryan McHenry. There were two $500 scholarship winners from Folsom Lake High, including Ashley Winton and Reagan Lenehan. This year there were four winners of the Ernie Sheldon Memorial Scholarship for $1,000, named after longtime FAA member and city councilman and overall city advocate. This is awarded to the students who show the best dedication to their high school's spirit combined with academics, community service and personal perseverance. Winners include four Folsom High seniors: Takuto Kakeda, Peony Mong, Grace Sardar and Mariya Thomas. Two students, one from Folsom High and one from Vista del Lago, earned the Summer Kempton Memorial Scholarship for $1,000. This scholarship is named after a Folsom High graduate who tragically passed away too soon and is intended to provide students an opportunity to continue their dreams, to make the right personal choices by recognizing what life has to offer and to focus on taking care of themselves and others. Winners are Folsom High's Raya Amin and Vista's Jillian Roccanova. The Race Salazar Memorial Scholarship is named in honor of Salazar, a 2009 graduate of Folsom High who grew up playing sports in town. He tragically passed away in his sleep from a heart arrhythmia in 2010. This scholarship has been awarded since 2014. Winners of this $500 scholarship include Isabella Race and Chantelle Tiu of Folsom High and Avery Seale of Vista del Lago. The Maria Totushek Memorial Scholarship winners, given to student athletes where soccer has played a big role in their lives, is named after a long-time soccer coach in Folsom, who also started the annual Kick It Soccer Clinic in town before passing away from cancer in 2015. Winners of this $1,000 scholarship include Folsom High's Jessica Donato and Grace Kuntz and Vista del Lago's Tayler Biehl, Jillian Roccanova and Kira Sadler. The FAA also awards selected students a $50 gift card for those who exemplify Bulldog or Eagle spirit, depending which high school they attend. This year's winners include Folsom High's Cooper Renshaw and Steven Nardinelli and Sudeep Majumder from Vista del Lago.