By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY – Senior Writer

It was a full house at Rim of the World High School’s Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, May 23 as 69 soon-to-be-graduating seniors from the Class of 2023 were awarded college scholarships ranging from $100 to $2,500 each, with the majority being in the $500 to $1,000 range.

Many, including Neva Hidajat, Zachary Gross, Sofia Kolbe, Charles Uhrmann and Jessica Stufkosky, having won multiple scholarships, scored even more funding for their college educations.

Noting that the school had received $119,000 in donations toward its scholarship program this school year, Rim High School Principal Brian Willemse, who hosted the two-and-a-half-hour event, commented, “All of this money is strictly from local citizens and organizations. This is a special community we are living in; it’s really remarkable.”

Principal Brian Willemse assists Miles Kelley, who captured the Perseverance Scholarship awarded by the Mountain Sunrise Rotary Club.

Next, school board member Cindy Gardner took to the stage to introduce 1963 Rim High graduate Rob Roy, who announced that the Ted Roy Charity Foundation, of which he is the chairman, had over the years raised, through its sponsorship of the Mile High Golf Tournament, $339,000 for Rim High School scholarships.

Cindy Burnett presents Neva Hidajat with a $1,000 scholarship certificate from the Women’s Club of Lake Arrowhead.

While awarding scholarship certificates to David Anderson and Ara Tokatlian, Blue Jay Jazz Foundation President Chris Levister congratulated them for their professional abilities. She announced that they would be performing with the likes of Grammy-nominated Lisa Haley and the Zydekats, the Lao Tizer Band, featuring Grammy Award-winning Eric Marienthal, and the Grammy Award-winning George Whitty Trio. “This shows that we have real talent on this mountain,” Levister said.

As he presented the Peacemaking Scholarship Award, the Rev. Dr. William Stanley, pastor of the Lake Arrowhead Community Presbyterian Church, commented, “The purpose of this scholarship is to promote peace throughout the world.”

Cal State University San Bernardino Vice President Monica Alejandre watches as Dr. Patrick Rains presents a scholarship award certificate to Jessica Stufkowski.

Cal State University San Bernardino Assistant Vice President Dr. Monica Alejandre announced that the university’s Mountain Scholarship program had donated over $600,000 to Rim graduates over the past 19 years.

Scholarship recipients include: Elizabeth Aberg; Lyzette Aldana; Blake Alvarez; David Anderson; Stephen Barany; Sonja Barnett; Emmanuel Barrios; Ayden Bayless; Jillian Bland; Jamyi Boehm; Chloe Brandon; Trenton Brooks; Olivia Brown; Grant Burkitt; Keegan Butler; Josiah Cacho; Giselle Chavarria; Ava Christiansen; Toby D’Avignon; Kaylie Davis; Adeline Epstein; Lucerito Fite; Zachary Flores; Laura Flores Barrios; Emma Gale; Vito Garcia; Braulio Garcia Gomez; Zachary Gross; Lexey Hall; Michell Helguera; Taber Heman; Brandon Hernandez; Neva Hidajat; Dakota Holliday; Chase Hopkins; Saray Huidor Rivas; Miles Kelley; Sofia Kolbe; Christian Loewen; Filipe Adan Lopez; Edgar Lopez Saucedo; Katie Marshall; Hunter Maxcy; Summer Mills; Ashton Morales; Jason Moss; Jose Nunez; Abbigail Ochoa; Stone Palmer; Illeana Pelayo; Faith Ramirez; Travis Ruston; Avery Stanton; Devon Stewart; Jessica Stufkosky; Are Tokatlian; Riley Torres; Summer Trippany; Alondra Trujillo; Charles Uhrmann; Jack Uhrmann; Rebeca Viramontes; Faith Zee; and Gracie Zimbardi.

Organizations and individuals donating to the school’s scholarship fund include: American Legion Post 360; Burgeson’s Heating & Air Conditioning; California State University San Bernardino; California School Employees Association; Crestline Lions Club; Dave and Jill Otey (Rim Men of Courage); Dr. Lawrence Walker, MD and Kim Walker, RN; Gary Tompkins; Geoff and Lauralea Hopper; Glen Thompson Community Service; Lake Arrowhead Community Presbyterian Church (Peacemaking Award); Luke Pilkerton (Jake Pilkerton Memorial); Michelle and Bill Johnson (Making Spirits Bright Foundation); McDonalds; Mountain Area Council PTA; Mountain Jewish Community; Mountain Sierra Club; Mountain Sunrise Rotary Club; Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church; Patrick Brennan Construction; Rim of the World Educational Foundation; Rim Teachers Association; Rim High School PTA; Rim of the World Unified School District Board of Trustees; Rim of the World Interpretive Association; Rim O’ the World Association of Realtors; Rotary Club of Lake Arrowhead; Running Springs Golden Oaks; Running Springs Firefighters; Spirit of the Mountains; Soroptimist International; Sweeps Luck; Urbs Family Scholarship; VFW Post 9624; and the Women’s Club of Lake Arrowhead.

American Legion Post 340 awarded scholarships to five Rim High students.

Memorial scholarships were awarded in the loving memory the following persons: Ann and Richard Roy ($2,000); Daniel Martinez ($1,500 – $1,500); Don Gregson ($1,000); Ella Burmeister ($1,000); Gene Newcombe (Vocational/Trade Scholarship $500 – $500); Ginger Jolley ($1,000 – $1,000); Mary Sanchez ($500); Peter J. Markovich ($500); Phillip Mullendore, Sr. ($500 – $500); Sarah Jonas ($1,000); Susan Frieboes ($1,000); Ted Roy Charity Foundation ($2,500 – $2,000 -$1,500 – $1,000 – $1,000 -$1,000 – $1,000).

Additional donations were contributed by Margaret Beebe, Bergeson & Associates, David and Karla Cathalinat, Andrew & Julie Cullum, Pamela Ehresmann, Tony and Cindy Gardner, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gradillas, Michael Gradillas, Jon Frieboes, Robert and Jennifer Hatem, Sherry Hetz, Ann and John Kawell, Laura Klement, Karla Lewis, Peter Scott Markovich, Candice and Gary Morris, Florence Mullendore, Dr. Jeffrey and Margaret Rattet, Connie and Michael Rigney, Patrick and Bonita Jo Rains, Michael Roy, Damon Sanchez, Richard Sanchez, SecureTech, Shirley Snow, Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club, Barbara Wright and Arlene and Robert Tymczyszyn.

When all was said and done, there was a dessert reception with cookies, cake and soft drinks in the foyer, where parents, teachers and students mingled, and scholarship recipients posed for photos with their certificates.

Ava Christiansen was awarded four scholarships, including the Ginger Jolly Memorial Scholarship, while her friend, Sofia Kolbe, received five scholarships, including the Sarah Jonas Memorial Scholarship.

When asked to comment on his daughter’s amazing feat of collecting four scholarship awards, Ava Christiansen’s father, Clay Christianson, said, “I’m very proud of her; she’s been a hard worker all through 12 years of school, and she was fortunate to have amazing teachers.”