Each year, six high school seniors are surprised one day by their principal and counselors with balloons and an oversized check for "up to $60,000." The reason? They've just earned the Ready Now Yuma Scholarship, and that means they won't need to worry about affording their bachelor's.
The Yuma Union High School District and the Helios Education Foundation announced Monday the scholarship recipients for the Class of 2025. The recipients, the school they represent and the institution they plan on attending are as follows:
- Salma Murguia, Cibola High School, Arizona State University
- Alexandra Alvarez Cervantes, Gila Ridge High School, Northern Arizona University
- Ayzia Ramos, Kofa High School, Arizona State University
- Yaslin Gutierrez, San Luis High School, Arizona State University
- Alejandro Bautista, Vista High School, Arizona Western College
- Lennart Wallstrom, Yuma High School, Arizona State University
Each scholarship is worth up to $15,000 per year and is renewable for up to three additional years. The program is part of a $3 million-plus investment in YUHSD students from Helios. It began with the Class of 2019 and will span over the course of 10 years.
“At Helios, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams through education,” said Helios President and CEO Paul J. Luna. “The Ready Now Yuma Scholarship is an investment in the talent and potential of Yuma’s students. We’re proud to support these remarkable scholars as they take the next step toward a brighter future for themselves, their families and their communities.”
The scholarship recipients find out in varying settings. Sometimes they're called to an office; other times, they're surprised in the middle of class. But every time, the moment's captured on video. This year's reveal compilation video can be viewed here:
“Receiving the Helios Scholarship is like a blessing since I was really stressing about how I was going to pay for college,” said GRHS senior Alexandra Alvarez Cervantes, who plans to attend Northern Arizona University in the fall. “I was going to get loans and I was really scared of that because I didn’t want to drown myself in debt. I was also debating between not even going to a university and just staying [in Yuma]. So, this solves everything.”
This year, 70 qualified applicants were considered by Helios and the Arizona Community Foundation. To qualify, they must be graduating seniors with financial need who will be attending an accredited post-secondary institution full-time and pursuing a four-year degree in any field of study. Scholarships are renewable if students remain in good academic standing and maintain the required GPA.
On Wednesday and Friday, the scholarship winners and the remaining qualified applicants will be walking the line. Over 2,600 students will be receiving their diplomas from six of seven YUHSD schools. The seventh, Somerton High School, won't have any graduating seniors. Only freshmen and sophomores are enrolled at SHS this year as part of an incremental rollout.
