Peggy McGee and Marianne Rogers Faust
The Green Valley Chapter, Military Officers Association, held its annual scholarship awards dinner at the American Legion in early May, a first for the Chapter. Another first was the fact that instead of being able to award four $2,500 scholarships to graduating JROTC cadets, there was only one eligible applicant, Cadet Kevin Reyes from Sahuarita High School. Kevin plans to study aerospace engineering at the University of Arizona. Another Naval JROTC cadet, Isabella Sizer from Walden Grove High School, qualified for a scholarship, but she will not need it. She has been selected to attend the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, R.I. After successfully completing that year of study, Cadet Sizer will enter the Naval Academy.
The Chapter did not receive any applications for scholarships from either Rio Rico or Nogales High Schools, which was very unusual.
The Chapter had budgeted for four scholarships, so the board quickly came up with a Plan B, awarding grants to veterans pursuing degrees at the University of Arizona. These grants will not impact their G.I. Bill payments as a scholarship would, but will help to cover some of the many additional expenses the veterans encounter, e.g., books, fees.
Two of the veterans receiving a grant attended the celebration dinner. Eleazar Rios, who served 10 years in the USN as a nuclear-trained electrician, is working towards a degree in chemical engineering. He continues to serve in the Naval Reserve. Destiny Rivera, who served six years in the USAF as an Arabic linguist, is pursuing degrees in mathematics and Arabic. Unable to attend the dinner but also receiving a grant is Shyla Barton who served two years in the USMC in intelligence. She is pursuing a degree in East Asian studies and the Chinese language.
Quail Creek residents Jack Bundy (chapter president) and Marianne Rogers Faust (JROTC liaison with the four schools) presented certificates to the deserving recipients.