2023 Scholarship Recipients
Matilyn Lopeman – Thatcher High School ($500)
GPA/Class rank: 3.9 and 29 out of 131 students
Parents: Marc and Marcie Lopeman
Offices held, clubs, organizations and sports participated in:
- Varsity Volleyball
- Varsity Soccer-Captain
- Soccer-All Region 2nd Team
- Varsity Softball
- Softball-All Region 2nd Team
- S.A.D.D. Club-Vice President
- We Fly Club
- AYSO Soccer
- Gila Valley Juniors Volleyball Club
- Church Youth Group Leader
- Thatcher High School All In Student of the Year
- Skate Club-Vice President
- National Honors Society
- Honor Roll-all 4 years
- Yearbook Cover Award
- Bill Coal Athlete Award
Future plans, school I plan to attend, academic or career goals: I will be attending Eastern Arizona College next year and majoring in pre-med or a field close to it. I plan to continue my education after EAC to get my bachelor’s and then apply for P.A. school. I would like to join the Air Force reserves after I receive my bachelor’s and get my P.A. degree through them.
Brendan Anway – Thatcher High School ($500)
GPA: 4.0
Rank: 2 of 136
Parents: Janice and Edward Anway
Offices Held: National Honor Society Vice President, National Junior Honor Society President, Church youth organization president
Extracurriculars: National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), National Honor Society (NHS), Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program, Knowledge Bowl, Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Varsity Tennis
Special Awards: Eagle Scout, Thatcher High School Class of 2023 Salutatorian, Honor Roll Student all 4 years of high school, Woodshop Student of the Year, Thatcher High School Eagle Effort Award
Service: Painting fire lanes for Thatcher High School, Food Drives for Our Neighbor’s Pantry, Sewing bibs for children in the cancer ward of the Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Mount Graham Hiking Trail Cleanup, BLM public lands cleanup projects
Interests: Furthering my education, especially in the fields of Science and History, Hunting, Camping, Fishing, Reading, Traveling
Future Plans: Now that I have graduated high school, I will be serving a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After my mission, I will return to Eastern Arizona College to finish my associate degree, after which I intend to move on to Brigham Young University and pursue a bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in biology. Following my pre-grad education, I plan to attend dental school. Once I receive my doctorate’s, I hope to open my own dental practice. Along the way, I would like to start a family of my own so that I can be a loving father and husband by following the example my parents have set for me.
Cody Cheney – Ft. Thomas High School ($500)
GPA/Rank: 2.6
My Parents Name: Cedar La Rae Polk and Tj Becenti Cheney (deceased)
Extracurricular activities at Fort Thomas High:
- Football 3 years
- Baseball 3 years
Special awards:
- Honor Roll
- Best defensive Player
Future Plans: Minor in Criminal Justice at EAC Thatcher Campus. After I get my degree work as a Law Enforcement Officer at San Carlos Police Department then work my way up to be an Investigator with Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Mia Gonzales – Mt. Graham High School ($1,000)
GPA: 3.30
My parents are Robert Gonzales of Safford and Perla Martinez of Safford.
In the Teen Outreach Program, I had many opportunities, including community service and career exploration. As a member of the group, I volunteered my time to assist the Daughters of the American Revolution in their scholarship fund raising. The Daughters of the American Revolution selected me as the DAR Good Citizen of Mount Graham High School for the current year. I demonstrated the qualities of the Dependability, Service, Leadership and Patriotism. I was also able to take a field trip to visit the University of Arizona and the Mesa Community College. This year, for career exploration, I was the first Mount Graham High School Electronic & Communication Engineer (ECE) student to compete at the Family, Career & Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) State Leadership Conference. I took third place for my toy design that I created to meet the developmental needs of children 2-4 years of age.
I am certified in the American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR AVD program. Optional modules completed: child CPR AED, infant CPR and First Aid. I am certified in ServSafe which verifies that a manager or the person in charge has sufficient food safety knowledge to protect the public from foodborne illness. I am also certified in the Arizona Technical Skills Standards in Early Childhood Education.
I was part of the Safford High School Wrestling Team for the past two years. It takes hard work, sweat, and determination to compete in a male dominant sport. I realized how strong I really am, physically and mentally. I was one of the first girls to go to state wrestling held at the Phoenix Memorial Coliseum and I am very proud.
My future plans are to go to Eastern Arizona College, take my general classes, explore my career choices and take a few electives.
Sheridan Wilson – Pima High School ($1,000)
Parents Names: Daniel and Nicole Wilson
GPA: 4.0
Rank in class, total number of students in class: 3rd of 72
Offices Held: Junior Year I was student body historian for PHS.
Clubs: PHS ACAPELLA sophomore and junior year.
Organizations: Senior year-PHS Link Crew, Senior-President of church youth group, Freshman-Senior: EAC Lee Little Theatre, and Senior-Gila Valley Chorale (GVC) Jazz
Special awards: multiple academic awards for excellence in different subjects, Sophomore-Regional Choir Member
Service: I have done a lot of service so it would be hard to name it all, but here are some things that come to mind: Volunteering for EAC children’s theatre, quilting for shelters, making quilts for foster system, helping people move, visiting the elderly, participating in sessions for Feed My Starving Children charity, and organizing and helping to paint the PHS mural with link crew.
Interests: piano study, theatre, singing, reading, writing, being in nature, and being with family and friends.
School I plan to attend: ASU-Polytechnic majoring in psychology to have a career as a behavioral analyst or personality coach. Eventually I hope to be married and have my own family.
Aidan Arbizo – Safford High School ($1,000)
More information coming soon.
Kerstynn Bryce – Ft. Thomas High School ($500)
More information coming soon.
2022 Scholarship Recipients
- Taylor Broadhead – Safford High School
- Marlo Day – Pima High School
- Kaylei Preston – Ft. Thomas High School
- Laigha Rope – Ft. Thomas High School
- Maycee Michaels – Willcox High School
- Mariah Estrada – Mt. Graham High School
- Bryant Stailey – Thatcher High School
- Makenzie Pooler – Mt. Graham High School
2021 Scholarship Recipients
- Hannah Smith – Safford High School
- Maci Lopeman – Thatcher High School
- Dallys Casillas – Thatcher High School
- Brookie Bryce – Pima High School
- McKia Preston – Ft. Thomas High School
- Matthew Mayer – Mt. Graham High School
Currents articles announcing the winners:
2020 Scholarship Recipients
The high school classes of 2020 were not able to have their normal awards assemblies. Some school provided a virtual list of recipients, while others provided a video production from presenters. GCEC Foundation provided the following with scholarships:
- Harley Lofgreen – Pima High School
- Jaden Preston – Ft. Thomas High School
- Jordan Juan – Ft. Thomas High School
- Angelina Villalba – Mt. Graham High School
- Skylar Waters – Mt. Graham High School
- Cami Lines – Safford High School
- Kristiana Alva – Thatcher High School
- Kelsi Hunt – Thatcher High School
Currents Article announcing the winners: