MOAA Awards Scholarships

Cadet Major Ana Fajardo, Air Force JROTC, is flanked by her mother Sonia Corrazco and Lieutenant Colonel Don Belche, JROTC Advisor at Nogales Hugh School; photo by Betty Atwater.

Cadet Major Ana Fajardo, Air Force JROTC, is flanked by her mother Sonia Corrazco and Lieutenant Colonel Don Belche, JROTC Advisor at Nogales Hugh School; photo by Betty Atwater.

Left to right: Brian Hensley is all smiles upon learning that his daughter, Cadet Commander Kayla Hensley, Sahuarita High School Navy JROTC, was awarded a scholarship and Commander Brad Roberson, JROTC Advisor; photo by Betty Atwater.

Left to right: Brian Hensley is all smiles upon learning that his daughter, Cadet Commander Kayla Hensley, Sahuarita High School Navy JROTC, was awarded a scholarship and Commander Brad Roberson, JROTC Advisor; photo by Betty Atwater.

Left to right: Tom Contreras, Richard Newman, Cadet Command Sergeant Major James Quijada, Army JROTC, Rio Rico High School and Rene Gill, Quail Creek Veterans Golf Association; photo by John McGee

Left to right: Tom Contreras, Richard Newman, Cadet Command Sergeant Major James Quijada, Army JROTC, Rio Rico High School and Rene Gill, Quail Creek Veterans Golf Association; photo by John McGee

Peggy McGee

Fifty Military Officers Association members and guests gathered in the Madera Clubhouse to recognize and award $1500 scholarships each to three graduating JROTC Cadets. First Lieutenant Richard Newman, president of the MOAA Scholarship and Military Assistance Fund, presented the awards.

Cadet Major Ana Figaro, Air Force JROTC, Nogales High School, will be heading to Pima Community College to complete the pre-requisite courses. She will then apply to the University of Arizona, where she will major in psychology with a minor in communications.

Cadet Sergeant James C. Quesada, Army JROTC, Rio Rico High School, received the award funded by the Quail Creek Veterans Golf Association. He will be studying Criminal Justice at the University of Arizona and plans to join the ROTC program at University of Arizona and go into the Army as a commissioned officer after his graduation.

Cadet Commander Kayla Hensley, Navy JROTC, Sahuarita High School, plans to attend Washington University in St. Louis. She will be enrolling in their psychology-neuroscience-philosophy major program with a minor in dance.

After the dinner and awards ceremony, the group adjourned to the lounge where they were entertained by the Tubac Singers whose songs featured such favorites as Danny Boy, a Johnny Cash medley and Shenandoah. The ensemble included Quail Creek residents Betty Atwater, Katha Laves and Linda Pandolfi as well as former resident Nancy Wilson.