Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Scholarships topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Yuma board celebrates six students awarded Helios Ready Now scholarships
Summary
At its June meeting the Yuma Union High School District recognized six Helios Ready Now Yuma scholarship recipients; district staff and recipients described how the renewable award (up to $60,000) will remove financial barriers to college and professional training.
The Yuma Union High School District on June 10 honored six students awarded Helios Ready Now Yuma scholarships, a renewable award intended to cover in-state tuition and support postsecondary enrollment. Superintendent Tim Brienza introduced the segment and invited district representative Eric Patton to present the Helios Education Foundation partnership and recipients.
Eric Patton said this is the eighth year of the district's partnership with Helios Education Foundation and explained the scholarship covers up to $15,000 a year, renewable for up to four years (totaling up to $60,000) when students meet program standards. Patton read a letter from Paul J. Luna, president and CEO of Helios Education Foundation, congratulating the recipients and noting the program's role in supporting Yuma students' postsecondary success.
Students selected as 2026 Helios Ready Now Yuma scholars were named by Patton as Autumn Fernandez (Sabola High School), Josh (Olan) Lopez (Hileridge High School), Genesis (Copa High School), Valeria Gutierrez (San Luis High School), Eve (Vista High School) and Kimberly Flores (Yuma High School). Four recipients attended the meeting and offered brief remarks about their plans.
Eve Ponz told the board she will begin at Arizona Western College and plans to transfer to Northern Arizona University to pursue nursing and later become a nurse practitioner in pediatrics, thanking teachers and family for support. Alamaris Fernandez, the Sabola High recipient, said she will attend the University of Arizona College of Nursing and pursue neonatal nursing, and described the scholarship as enabling her to focus on studies without immediate tuition concern. Genesis said the award removed a financial barrier and described intentions to study biomedical and mechanical engineering through a cooperative program. Other recipients described plans in social work and neuroscience and emphasized the relief the scholarship provides for low-income families.
Board members offered congratulations and referred the students to district staff for follow-up and to the district's website for video compilations of the surprise presentations. Eric Patton urged the public to view the scholarship videos, which the district has posted on its website.
The Helios Ready Now Yuma scholarship program has awarded nearly 50 Yuma students since the partnership began, according to Patton's remarks and the letter from Helios.
The board then proceeded to routine business. The meeting packet and a compilation of scholarship videos are available through the district's public website.
