San Juan High School alumni award over $42k in student scholarships

By Thomas J. Sullivan–
Members of the San Juan High School Alumni Association (SJAA) recognized 17 graduating senior students on Thursday night with individual scholarship awards totaling $42,500.

The annual awards ceremony was held on May 23 at San Juan High School and included scholarships given by other community groups. Recipients of the alumni association’s scholarships for 2019 are:

• Luis Garibay-Gutierrez – $5,000

• Steven Nguyen – $5,000

• Bryan Pineda – $3,000

• Vanessa Luviano – $3,000

• Tracey Ballesteros – $2,500

• Christina Alvarado – $2,000

• Juana Arellano-Alvarado – $2,000

• Danitza Camacho-Noboa – $2,000

• Mateo Gonzales – $2,000

• Amanda Green – $2,000

• Nina Kryzhanivska – $2,000

• Gabriela Navarro-Tapia – $2,000

• Summer Negrete – $2,000

• Katalynna Vang – $2,000

• Joanna Velasquez-Ramirez – $2,000

• Jade Velez – $2,000

• Hogan Weaver – $2,000

The annual scholarship tradition traces its roots to the San Juan High School Class of 1929, which during their 50th reunion in 1979 had $500 remaining from their reunion fund and decided to give a pair of $250 scholarships to deserving SJHS graduating students.

The annual tradition of awarding scholarships to SJHS graduates has continued for 40 years. To date, the association says over $413,000 in scholarships have been awarded to 275 SJHS alums. The association also provides grant money to faculty and other school activities.

The SJAA president is Dee Worthington-Peacock, Class of 1964, with Larry Fritz, Class of 1973, serving as vice president.  The association also has a Legacy Exhibit at San Juan High School located in a room off of the cafeteria (near the front of the school). The Legacy Exhibit is open to the public on Mondays when the high school is in session, and closed during the summer from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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