2016 scholarships announced

2016 LCF scholarship recipients, Maria Marquez Rubio, Sierra Tucker, Lars Basey, Mitchell Simms, Meagan Keen, Marissa Casey, Principal Greg Winger (not pictured Jessica Boxrud)

The Lyons Community Foundation (LCF) exists to improve the quality of life, build a culture of giving, and encourage positive change for the Greater Lyons Area.  The attributes of the LCF mission statement can be found in all the recipients for this year’s scholarships. This speaks highly of the dedication and hard work of not only these students and their parents but all the teachers and staff along the way.
 
Offering scholarships to Lyons area graduating seniors began in 2009 with a single $500 scholarship. On May 17, 2016 the LCF awarded $7000 in scholarships to seven Lyons graduating seniors. To date, $25,000 in scholarship funds have been awarded to 28 college bound students.
 
The Lyons Community Foundation Scholarship recognizes exemplary students who successfully served in a leadership role, earned a GPA of 3.5 or better, and have demonstrated community-mindedness. The 2016 Lyons Community Foundation Scholarship was awarded to Marissa Casey and Sierra Tucker. Marissa will be attending CU Boulder majoring in psychology or marketing. Sierra will be attending Montana State University majoring in cell biology and neuroscience.
 
Established in 2009, the Lyons Community Foundation Scholarship in Memory of Steve Ralston honors Lyons resident and business owner Steve Ralston and is awarded to a student who best expresses their passion for learning and sharing one’s interests, skills, and joyful life experiences with their community. Maria Marquez Rubio is the 2016 recipient; she will be attending Front Range Community College, then Metro State majoring in math and civil engineering.
 
The Joel Mack Memorial Scholarship recognizes one female and one male student athlete who serves as a role model of good sportsmanship. It honors the memory of Joel Evan Mack, a Lyons High School alumni and a student at Northeastern Junior College. The Mack family sponsored the Joel Mack Memorial Scholarship at Lyons High School through 2013. In 2014 sponsorship of the scholarship transferred to the Lyons Community Foundation who is proud to continue Joel’s legacy at Lyons High School. The 2016 recipients are Jessica Boxrud and Lars Basey. Jessica will be majoring in broadcast journalism at Colorado State University and Lars will be attending University of Northern Colorado majoring in elementary education.
 
Established in 2014, the Gerald Boland Memorial Scholarship recognizes a student who demonstrates a passion for learning and for their community. Gerald Boland died during the September 2013 flood near his home in Lyons. He taught in Lyons for 31 years, 5 years at the high school and 26 years at the elementary school.  He served as a mentor to many of Lyons youth as a basketball coach for 23 years and as a Boy Scout Leader. His dedication to the Lyons community was just as unwavering as his dedication to education. Recipient of the 2016 Gerald Boland Memorial Scholarship Meagan Keene is majoring in communications at University of Northern Colorado.
 
New in 2016, is the Uncle Louis “Bud” Winkler Memorial Scholarship.  This scholarship is made possible by an endowment from a local Lyons resident to honor the memory of his Uncle Louis who helped put him through college. The first recipient of the Uncle Louis “Bud” Winkler Scholarship is Mitchell Simms who will be attending Western Washington University majoring in journalism with an emphasis in business and economics.
 
The Lyons Community Foundation is proud of the accomplishments of these seven students, as well as the accomplishments of all the students who applied for the scholarships. These scholarships are made possible through the generous donations of the Lyons community. If you would like to support the scholarship program and help a student achieve their dream of a college education, your contributions are greatly appreciated. To donate to any of these scholarships, please go to www.Lyonscf.org and click on the DONATE NOW button and indicate if you would like your support applied in memory of Steve Ralston, Gerald Boland, Joel Mack, or the General Scholarship Fund.  Donations may also be mailed to the Lyons Community Foundation, PO Box 546, Lyons, Colorado 80540.
 

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