Kiwanis awards over $26K in scholarships
Jun. 23—The Yuba City Early Risers Kiwanis Club distributed $26,500 in total scholarships this year to students in Yuba City, Sutter and Live Oak as part of the club's long-running scholarship program.
A total of 17 students from River Valley High School, Live Oak High School and Sutter Union High School were awarded $1,000 and $2,000 scholarships. Kiwanis Club President Amar
Sohal created a new scholarship category this year, which allowed the club to award three additional $500 scholarships, officials said.
Out of all the scholarship recipients, 11 students were awarded the $2,000 Vern Williams scholarship and three were awarded $1,000 vocational education scholarships.
According to Scholarship Chair Erick Dahl, the Kiwanis Club started its scholarship program in 1996 by giving a $1,000 scholarship in honor of Williams, who is remembered by club members as a caring person, especially to at-risk youth.
The club has since expanded its program through memorial scholarships in honor of charter members or other deceased members, including Del Heffley, Walt Huss, Jim Nunes, Don Turano, Doug Usedom, Obie Wickersham and Barbara Larcom.
The following students were awarded scholarships from the Kiwanis Club: — Zaira Samuel of River Valley High School — Alejandro Macias of River Valley High School — Sia Sondhi of River Valley High School — Natalee Gardner of River Valley High School — Greta Hartridge-Gundershaug of River Valley High School — Mackenzie Ritner of Sutter Union High School — Haley Matthews of Sutter Union High School — Reed Scott of Sutter Union High School — Mia Minard of Sutter Union High School — Gabrielle Katz of Sutter Union High School — Jonah Leapaga of Sutter Union High School — Graham Foster of Sutter Union High School — Harneet Gill of Live Oak High School — Joseph Contreras of Live Oak High School — Averyn Jansen of Live Oak High School — Armaani Chetra of Live Oak High School — Joseph Hang of Live Oak High School
