Scholarships

The Kiwanis Club and Foundation of Tierrasanta awarded scholarships and
Hope of America Awards with scholarships to graduating seniors at Canyon
Hills High School, Hoover High School and the Charter School of San Diego
in Tierrasanta to help defray the costs of tuition, fees, books and supplies
and room and board at an institution of higher learning. The club established
a scholarship program in 1982 for Serra High School graduates, renamed
Canyon Hills High School in 2021, and now annually awards four scholarships
through the club foundation to graduating Canyon Hills High School
students bound for college who best exemplify the high ideals of Kiwanis
service including character, leadership, academic and athletic achievement
and service to school and community. The foundation selects the recipients
based on a review of applications submitted for the awards, including an
essay, school transcripts and documentation of school and community
activities, service and leadership. The awards also honor three former
outstanding Kiwanis members now deceased.

Sofia Gilmore received a Kiwanis scholarship named in honor of Vernon D.
Bowman in 1986. Sofia graduated at the top of her class with a Total 9-12
WGPA of 4.62. During high school, Sofia involved herself in community
service and especially activities that positively impacted the lives of her
fellow students and other youth in her community. She participated in
SWEAR, a youth-created and empowered committee advocating for a
mental health curriculum in all San Diego high schools. As a junior student
she participated in Thinkist, a tutoring company working with other high
school students. She served in a year-long internship with Live Well San
Diego along with other students working as a public health employee,
including assisting in vaccinations against the Monkeypox virus. She
dedicated herself during four years of high school providing school and
community service with the Canyon Hills Key Club performing leadership
roles including outstanding service as president of the Key Club during her
senior year helping to increase membership in the club and community
service and fundraising. She plans to attend the University of California,
Los Angeles in the Fall. The Bowman scholarship awards $1000 per year
for four years of college, a total of $4,000.

Marissa Sheehy received a $1,000 scholarship named in honor of Thomas G.
Cherniss in 2000. Marissa was near the top of her class with a Total 9-12
WGPA of 4.52. She provided service to her community through several
organizations including the Girl Scouts for ten years earning both her Bronze
and Silver Awards, acting as a math tutor through the Thinkist Training
Program and Humans for Humanity through SAY San Diego. At Canyon Hills
High School, she provided service to her fellow students as a member and
treasurer of the Associated Student Body during her junior and senior years.
She was also a member of the Academic League Club from 2019
through 2023 and served as president during her senior year. In athletics,
she was a member of the Canyon Hills Girls Golf Team from 9th through
12th grades. In the Fall Marissa plans to attend the University of San Diego.

Nathan Mathews received a $1,000 Kiwanis scholarship named in honor of
George V. Paluso in 2006, a member of the club for over 29-years and
instrumental in the initiation of the club’s scholarship program. In addition
to the general criteria, the Paluso Scholarship awards participation,
leadership and excellence in athletic activities. Nathan graduated near the
top of his class achieving a Total 9-12 WGPA of 4.43. He was an outstanding
student, leader and athlete at Canyon Hills High School. His community
service was focused on helping others. He attended a YMCA summer camp
supervising, planning and carrying for elementary and middle school aged
children. He was a youth tennis coach from his sophomore through senior
year in high school. He was a member of the Canyon Hills Key Club his junior
and senior year, co-founder and secretary of the school Red Cross Club and
treasurer of the California Scholarship Federation (CSF). Nathan was very
active in tennis, both coaching and competition. He served as the Girl’s
Tennis Team Manager and the Boys Varsity Tennis Team as a
player and captain of the team. He won the Most Improved Player award
his junior year. In the Fall, Nathan plans to attend the
University of California, Berkeley.

Vanessa Orlina-Mincey received a $1,000 Lonnie and Elaine Folsom
Scholarship established by the Folsom’s to honor their grandson Richard
Torpy and his wife Kelli. The Folsom Scholarship will be awarded to five
students in $1,000 increments over a period of five-years. Vanessa
graduated near the top of her class with a Total 9-12 WGPA of 4.47.
During high school, Vanessa’s service has been directed toward helping
others. She coached field hockey at De Portola Middle School and was
a Canyon Hills field hockey clinic coach, volunteered at the UCSD
Trauma Unit Medical Center and participated in a
Surf Rider Beach Cleanup. At Canyon Hills she was a freshman welcome
week coordinator, participated in a Red Cross Blood Drive and a
CSF beach cleanup. In addition to her athletic coaching activities, she
was a member and captain of the Girls Varsity FieldHockey Team that
had an undefeated record and were league champions. She was also on
the varsity Lacrosse and Soccer teams and participated in track and field.
Vanessa plans to attend San Diego State University School of Nursing in
the Fall.

The Canyon Hills High School Hope of America Award and Scholarship
recipients were Bethanie Nishiyama, Audrey Ritchey and Brooke Turner.
The Hoover High recipients were Yeimi Rodriguez and Jaqueline Tran.
Eden Stice received the Hope of America Award and scholarship at the
San Diego Charter School in Tierrasanta.

Kiwanis initiated the Hope of America Award program for all the public
schools in Tierrasanta and Murphy Canyon in 1979, now expanded to
include all schools assisted by the club and the Tierrasanta campus of the
Charter School of San Diego.

The California-Nevada-Hawaii District of Kiwanis International has
presented Hope of America Awards since 1984. The award recognizes
students selected by school faculty members and administrators to
honor and encourage students who have demonstrated academic
accomplishment, leadership and good ethical and moral character,
all traits of leaders who have sustained our democratic way of life.
Such outstanding citizenship traits and consistent devotion to the
acquisition of learning skills as exhibited by the award recipients are
very important to help guarantee the future of the United States of
America. The awards include an award certificate, an award letter,
a certificate featuring the American’s Creed and a $250 scholarship.