Local Students Earn Big During Scholarship Awards Ceremony at SYVUHS

Seniors at SYVUHS accepted more than $300,000 in scholarships!

Tanner Shean was awarded the Austin Bartoo Athletic Memorial Scholarship

Kendall Stevens accepts a scholarship during the awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 18.

Many seniors at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School were celebrated for their academic and athletic scholarship accomplishments during an awards ceremony in the New Gym on campus on Wednesday, May 18. The students and their families and organizations and individuals who created the scholarship opportunities came together to hand out the certificates.

“My husband and I were able to attend college because of this opportunity and when we married 10 years ago it was a goal of ours to create a scholarship to help give back. This is our seventh year now and we are so thrilled to help the students achieve higher learning,” said Jody Colt, of Solvang, with her husband Chris.

Of the hundreds of scholarships more than $300,000 was awarded to SYVUHS students from local scholarships and from foundations such as the Valley Foundation and the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara according to event organizer Alisha Holley, registrar at SYVUHS.

Tanner Shean was awarded the Austin Bartoo Athletic Memorial Scholarship among several awarded, in memory of Austin Bartoo, a former student at the high school who passed away last year from injuries resulting from a car accident. His sister Shannon Strange (Bartoo) handed him the scholarship which means a great deal to her family and she indicated it would be what her brother would want.

Coach Josh McClurg hugged Tim Gauthier tightly when he handed him the Jeff Rio Memorial Scholarship and said he embodied Rio. Austin Vreeland earned big cheers from the crowd when he accepted several scholarships from the SYHS Football Boosters and Most Valuable Male Athlete of the Year.

Below is a list of all the scholarship winners.

Most Inspirational Female Athlete of the Year: Brooke Redell

 Most Inspirational Male Athlete of the Year: Connor Epley

Most Valuable Female Athlete of the Year: Eliza Nash

Most Valuable Male Athlete of the Year: Johnny Jimenez

US Army Scholar/Athlete Awards

Blane Heming & Savannah Avery

US Marine Corps Athlete/Academic Awards

Distinguished Athlete Awards

·         Austin Vreeland

·         Madison Snow

Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence

·         Nicholas Seaman

Scholastic Excellence Award

·         Abigail Mullin

US Air Force Academic Awards

Math Award

·         Clara Jones

Science Award

·         Westin Kelsey

Outstanding Academic Achievement

·         Tanner Shean