Fair honors Wasco FFA scholars

Seven Wasco High School FFA students were honored as recipients of the Friends of the Fair Scholarship during the Parade of Champions at the 2024 Kern County Fair on Sept. 22.

These scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, involvement in the local agricultural industry and community service, and reflect the high academic standards upheld at Wasco High School. The students' achievements also highlight the exceptional caliber of Wasco's FFA program participants.

The scholarship winners were Jackie Reyes, Yamilet Rodriguez, Belinda Reyes, Natalie Acosta, Samantha Cortez and Yareli Sanchez, each of whom received $2,500. Lauren Lee was awarded a $7,000 scholarship. Additionally, Belinda Reyes received the prestigious Fred Dominguez Memorial Scholarship, granted to sheep exhibitors who demonstrate strong community service and academic achievement.

Jackie Reyes expressed her gratitude, saying, "I am very grateful for the opportunity that was given to me and am happy that all my hard work these past three years of showing for FFA has been worth it. I hope to study pre-health and become a pediatric nurse to pay for college expenses such as books and living costs."

Belinda Reyes reflected on her growth through FFA, sharing, "Being in FFA, I have learned many new skills about myself, like time management and problem-solving, especially while raising livestock. Overall, my experience with FFA and receiving these scholarships is something I will always remember and be thankful for. A piece of advice I've learned from my FFA experience is to 'never give up and strive for the best.' "

Lauren Lee also emphasized the relationships she built through the program. "What I love most about being in FFA is the friendships and memories I have made. All of my Wasco FFA ag advisors have played a significant role in helping me achieve this scholarship. I cannot thank them enough for the time they take to help us students succeed both in and out of the classroom."

Regarding her future plans, she added, "I hope to use the scholarship money to further my education by advancing my experiences in agriculture, specifically ag business. I want to make a positive impact on the ag industry and be an advocate for future generations."

Yareli Sanchez, who has eight years of experience showing livestock – four in FFA and four in 4H – shared her love for animals as her motivation for joining FFA. "I am a huge animal lover and have always cared for them. My experience and love for animals is why I entered FFA."

A high achiever with a 4.54 GPA, Yareli is also a triathlete, ASB treasurer and deeply committed to community service. Grateful for her scholarship, she said, "I would like to give a huge thank you to [WHS ag advisor] Mrs. Tolin for pushing me to fill out this application. Receiving this scholarship would not have been possible without her."