KING CITY — Forty-seven King City High School seniors received 127 scholarships from 56 donors at this year’s Scholarship Banquet on May 1.
The King City High School Scholarship Banquet is sponsored by the King City Community Scholarship Foundation Inc., which was represented by President Pam Kirkpatrick, Treasurer Samantha Jo Johnsen and Vice President/Secretary and Master of Ceremonies for the evening Sarah Nash.
“This group has done well,” Nash said. “They are kind of odd in a way that this is the last group of students who were born in the 20th century.”
According to Nash, this year’s graduates plan on furthering their education by attending local community colleges and universities, majoring in everything from physics to global studies and economics to public health, to become educators and mechanics, among other professions.
The first scholarship presenter of the evening was Maureen Gill, who was awarding scholarships on behalf of her parents Allen and Patricia Gill, longtime members of the King City community.
“My father was a farmer on Central Avenue and my mom was a nurse, homemaker and also on the board of trustees of King City High School,” Maureen Gill said. “We’re remembering our parents by providing a scholarship in the areas of agriculture and nursing.”
The Allen and Patricia Gill Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Elizabeth Silva, who will be pursuing agriculture or business. Rachel Picazo also was a scholarship and will be pursuing nursing.
The Barroso Family Scholarship, started in 2001, comes from a family of five students who graduated from King City High School.
The five Barroso graduates went on to become engineers and doctors.
“We are very proud to be giving these three scholarships this evening,” Stephanie Barroso said. “Traditionally it is given to a student who would be majoring in science technology, engineering or math.”
The Barroso Family Scholarship was awarded to Noemi Amezcua Moreno, Sandy Garcia and Andrea Juarez-Contreras.
Business owner John Romans presented eight scholarships totaling over $7,000 from businesses based in South County, including Big Valley Labor, Growers Express, Mission Ranches, Jerry Ferreira Memorial Scholarship, King City Young Farmers and Mel Bassetti Memorial Scholarship. They were awarded to Evelyn Lopez, Dustin Miller, Madison Owens, Emily Brewen, Anissa Trujillo and Justin Mantel.
Among the donors for the scholarship banquet were a Bruce Graham Music Scholarship, David and Susan Gill, Dr. Fateh Entabi, Green’s Accounting, King City High School Teachers Association, the King City Fire Department and many others.
