Skyview Scholarship Fund awards nearly $20,000 to graduating seniors

On June 9, at the Skyview Senior Awards Ceremony, the Skyview Scholarship Fund awarded six financial grants totaling $19,500 to seniors in support of their college education.

Scholarships of $1,500 in recognition of Outstanding Achievement were given to Jaden Davis who will attend Grand Canyon University, Michael Helde who will attend University of Washington and Emily Avendano who will attend University of California Irvine.

Three seniors were awarded $5,000 each. Sophie Cadran received Outstanding Student in the Arts and will attend Western Washington University; Claire Russell received Outstanding Student in Leadership and will attend Purdue University; and Rachel Thacker was awarded the Payton May Outstanding Transfer Student scholarship and will attend Reed College.

The Skyview Scholarship Fund was started in the Fall of 2020. It operates as a committee under the umbrella of the Skyview Booster Club, a 501(C)3 nonprofit.

Courtesy of Skyview Scholarship Fund

The fund was originally initiated by Tom and Debra May to give back to the school that welcomed their daughter Payton as a sophomore transfer student in 2017.

“During her three years at Skyview we watched our daughter thrive,” said Tom May. “It was due to the welcoming spirit of the students, teachers and staff at the school, and we wanted to recognize that in some way.”

With help from Principal Andy Meyer and supporters Rik Shiiki, Diane Berg, Rick and Jennifer Taylor, Mike Ripley and Whitney Mattocks, the fund grew from the idea of one scholarship for the Outstanding Transfer student to awarding grants totaling $19,500 to the class of 2022.

The Skyview Scholarship Fund is not an endowment fund. The amount of money awarded each year is based on that year’s donations. Individuals or businesses who wish to support the scholarship fund can donate here: https://stormscholarships.org/donate.

Joanna Yorke-Payne
Joanna Yorke is the managing editor of the Vancouver Business Journal. She has worked in the journalism field since 2010 after graduating from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University in Pullman. Yorke worked at The Reflector Newspaper in Battle Ground for six years and then worked at and helped start ClarkCountyToday.com.

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