The Sedona-Oak Creek School District held its annual scholarship awards ceremony at the Sedona Performing Arts Center on the evening of Monday, May 20.

“This number is just wild to me because remember these are local scholarships,” SOCSD Superintendent Tom Swaninger said.  “This is separate from the university scholarships that many of these students apply for. These [are] kind of locally-funded from community members that want to support our students. Tonight we are [giving] $97,000 in scholarship money to 31 of these amazing students.”

The following students have been accepted to college:

■ Arizona State University: Madeline Badorek and Michael Calderon

■ Grand Canyon University : Omar Villalpando

■ Mesa Community College: Brenden Lafferty

■ Northern Arizona University : Emelia Arizmendi, Noah Horton, Maxwell Jankowski, Arabella Licher, Arely Lopez-Dominguez, Carlos Gonzalez, Isaac Montes De Oca, Leiny Suarez Carrera, Soyoka Yabuuchi and Dartagnan Vargas

■ University of Arizona: Andrea Alvarez Araiza, Lauren Pfaff

■ Yavapai College: Anai Avila Gallo, Alexis Bogatyrew, Rumer Cox, Elliott Friday, Jennifer Rodriguez Carreno, Kevin Valle Mendoza, Melissa Rosales, Esmeralda Ruiz, Emmanuel Sanchez, Theo Sorrentino, Ashley Stewart and Nia Trujillo.

■ Anderson University: Anna Jennings

■ Colorado Mesa University : Sarina McCullough

■ Georgetown University: Jenna Bogda

■ Henderson State University: Leo Wesley

■ University of Oregon: Skyla Bird

Organizations and individuals presenting awards to the seniors included the Sedona Elks Club Lodge No. 2291, the Asian Classics Institute, Lew Hoyt with the Foster Friess and Beating the Odds scholarships, Coffee Pot Restaurant, Patty Herrman-Juda with the Al and Marion Herrman Scholarship, PFLAG of Sedona, Pinnacle Bank, the Rotary Club of Sedona, the Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks, Salt River Materials Group, Sedona Area Veteran and Community Outreach, the Sedona Bridge Club, the Sedona Gem and Mineral Club, the Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon Lions Club, the Sedona Red Rock High School Booster Club, the Sedona Swim Team, the Sedona 30, West Sedona School PTA and the Yavapai County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse.

Lauren Pfaff, who will be studying agriculture at the University of Arizona, was recognized by SRRHS Principal Heather Isom for being a finalist for this year’s Flinn Scholarship and received the Rural and Small Town Recognition award from the College Board.

Jenna Bogda was recognized for being one of the 43 recipients of the Horatio Alger State Scholarship out of 35,000 applicants. She plans to major in political science at Georgetown University and eventually enroll in law school.

Arabella Licher was presented with the Foster Friess and Al and Marion Herrman Business scholarships as well as the Booster Club’s Valedictorian Award.

“Now I will tell you a story, an American Dream story,” Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon Lions Club member Sandy Immerso said when presenting the club’s scholarship. “Six years ago, I met an 11-year-old boy [who] returned to America and spoke no English. I offered to tutor him in English and all subjects. This young boy went from getting grades of F to As and Bs at [Sedona] Red Rock High School. He has worked diligently to succeed academically while working full-time jobs and helping in the community. Three years ago I brought him here to scholarship night with me to show him the financial and educational possibilities if you worked hard and got good grades. I told him that night I wanted to be on stage when he was a senior to give him scholarship money, so tonight on behalf of the Sedona Lions Club, we would like to award Kevin Valle Mendoza at Yavapai College to study computer science.”

Outgoing West Sedona School PTA President Basil Maher presented Citali Perez with the group’s scholarship for alumni of WSS and read a note from Perez’s now retired fifth grade teacher Tana Rush.

“You, my dear, have always been a standout, a standout student for sure,” Rush wrote. “But a standout, kind, smart and beautiful person. Your future is wide open, waiting and filled with opportunity.”

“Everything that you see on scholarship night is because of Teresa Lamparter’s efforts,” Swaninger subsequently said. “None of this happens without her or passionate and dedication to making this happen for the students.”