Peyton Jackson, Hailey Sams and Bella Gutierrez
By Shellie Peterson
The Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 scholarships. This year, three outstanding graduating seniors from Pagosa Springs High School will each receive a share of $20,000 in Rotary scholarships to support their continuing education.
Meet the 2025 Scholarship Recipients:
- Hailey Sams will attend the University of Colorado Boulder, where she plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in political science.
- Bella Gutierrez is also headed to CU Boulder to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with the goal of becoming a midwife.
- Peyton Jackson will attend San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico, to pursue a degree in welding.
Congratulations to Hailey, Bella, and Peyton on their achievements! The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club also extends its best wishes to the entire Class of 2025 for success in all their future endeavors.
Rotary scholarships are made possible through the generous support of local businesses, individuals, and successful community fundraising efforts. Our signature fundraiser—the Jewels & Jeans Barn Dance—returns this year on October 18. Save the date and join us in supporting the next generation of leaders and professionals.
Since 1983, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club has awarded $584,125 in scholarships to 204 local students. We are deeply grateful to our event sponsors and the entire community whose continued support makes this investment in our youth possible.
The Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs was chartered in May 1979 and currently has 83 active members. The club meets every Thursday at noon and lives by the Rotary motto, “Service Above Self.” Learn more about our work and how you can get involved at pagosaspringsrotary.org.
2024: Pagosa Springs Rotary Club awards $24,000 to graduating seniors
By Meg Wempe
Pagosa Springs Rotary Club is pleased to announce the graduating seniors who will be receiving the 2024 Rotary scholarships. This year, Rotary is awarding $24,000. There were amazing applications and tough decisions made by the committee. The scholarship selection committee chose four students to award this year.
Miles Baker will be attending Biola University in Los Angeles County, where he will study cinema and media arts.
Karis Blackman plans to pursue a degree in environmental studies at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Jack Hittle will begin his studies of mechanical engineering this fall. He will be attending the Colorado School of Mines, located in Golden.
Michelle Ray-Lujan will be studying nursing at Amarillo College in Amarillo, Texas.
Congratulations to these four scholarship winners.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club also congratulates the entire class of 2024 and wishes each of them success in their future endeavors.
Since 1983, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club has awarded $564,125 to 201 local high school graduates.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club would like to thank our event sponsors who make these local scholarships possible each year. We truly couldn’t do it without you! We would also like to thank members of the community for their continued support of Rotary fundraisers. Mark your calendars now for October 12, when we will hold our Barn Dance, one such fundraiser.
Rotary’s motto is “Service Above Self” and meets at noon each Thursday. Learn more at pagosaspringsrotary.org.
2023: Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs Scholarship Recipients
The Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs is proud to announce the graduating seniors who will be receiving the 2023 Rotary scholarships, which total $22,000 this year. There were amazing applications and tough decisions to be made by the committee. There are five students who were awarded for this year.
Avery Ramirez will be studying respiratory therapy at San Juan College.
Hannah Rockensock is attending Tennessee Tech and plans to study musical theater in their School of Music.
Kaleb Johnson will be going to Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. He will be majoring in computer engineering.
Lynelle Bartz is attending Arizona State University and will be pursing her degree in nursing.
Justin Rivas will be headed to Denton, TX, to attend Northwest Lineman College.
2021: Rotary Scholarships Awarded
By Livia Cloman Lynch
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club is proud to announce those individuals receiving 2021 Rotary Scholarships totaling $21,125.
Ella Blechman---Ella plans to attend the University of Colorado to study Political Science with emphasis in systems of government and political behavior.
Madeline Metzger--Madeline will attend the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio where she plans to obtain a nursing degree.
Lorah Jacobson—Lorah plans to attend Otero Junior College and will pursue an Associates of Arts degree in Education.
Nicole Bartz—Nicole will attend Colorado State University and will pursue a degree in Biology with a concentration in animal physiology, while minoring in Art.
Kylie Keuning—Kylie plans to attend Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI and she will pursue a five-year Bachelor to Master’s program for Speech Pathology and Audiology.
Ella Hemenger—Ella will be attending the University of Northern Colorado and plans to major in Elementary Education.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club congratulates the outstanding class of 2021 and wishes each of them success in their future endeavors.
Since 1983, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club has awarded a total of $498,125 in scholarships to 186 local high school graduates. The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club would like to thank the Pagosa Springs community for their continued support of Rotary fundraisers and sponsorships that have made our local scholarships possible again this year. Additionally, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club was pleased to receive Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative matching grant funds this year.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club is a diverse group of engaged individuals participating through friendship and camaraderie in opportunities to serve our community and other communities around the world. We welcome members who are passionate about community service and who embrace the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self".
While the Pagosa Springs Rotary Clubs are widely known for their fun and imaginative fundraising events such as the Kentucky Derby Party, Ice Melt Contest, Las Vegas Casino Night, Jeans and Jewels Barn Dance and Gary Morris Concert, you may not know how far reaching the results of the monies raised go. It is all about the club's motto, "Service Above Self".
Locally, one of our largest endeavors go to scholarships for PSHS graduating students. Since 1983, Rotary has awarded over $498,125 to 186 students, to be used for advanced education in colleges and trade schools.
2021: Casey Lynn Crow Awarded Scholarship
By Shellie Peterson
The Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs is excited to announce that Casey Lynn Crow has been selected to receive a scholarship in the amount of $30,000 to continue her education toward a PhD in Public Health and Policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Casey holds a bachelor’s in Political Science and Global Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a masters in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies from the London School of Economics. As a second-year doctoral student, her research explores access to sexual and reproductive healthcare in humanitarian crises, particularly for refugees and people with disabilities. Apart from her research, Casey is a dancer, choreographer, and owner of Pagosa Springs Dance Academy, and is passionate about merging art and activism. Having worked with refugees in Kenya, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico and Greece, she has witnessed the transformational power of the arts to improve mental health and promote hope, healing and connection for survivors of trauma. Casey founded Beyond Words International in 2018 with the hope of collaborating with artists, therapists, and those serving in their communities to increase opportunities for healing, empowerment, and positive expression.
Ms. Crow was endorsed to the Rotary District 5470 by the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs. District 5470. in partnership with the Rotary Club of Hampstead. The award has been approved for funding by The Rotary Foundation. We look forward to encouraging Casey and watching her continue to pursue her passions.
When Casey was notified about being awarded this scholarship, she said, “I am unspeakably honored and grateful to be chosen as a Rotary Global Grant Scholar. This award will allow me to continue my studies and conduct my fieldwork in the largest refugee camp in the world, Bidi Bidi Camp in Uganda, next year. I am thrilled to represent Rotary as I continue my research and do my best to make a difference in the world. Special thanks to the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs for their incredible encouragement and support!”
2020: Rotary Awards $27,000 in Scholarships
By Livia Cloman Lynch
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club is proud to announce those individuals receiving 2020 Rotary Scholarships totaling $27,000.
Megan Foster---Megan plans to attend the University of Utah to study Kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise science.
Mark Holladay—Mark will attend Colorado School of Mines majoring in Computer Programming with an emphasis in game design.
Grace Thompson—Grace will attend Colorado State University to study Art Education.
Tay Barker–-Tay will attend Mesa State University and will pursue a Welding certification.
Daniel Laos—Daniel plans to attend Tarrant County College and will pursue an Emergency Medical Technician certification.
Josselyn Pina—Josselyn will be attending San Juan College and plans to study Nursing.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club congratulates the outstanding class of 2020 and wishes each of them success in their future endeavors.
Since 1983, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club has awarded a total of $477,000 in scholarships to 180 local high school graduates. The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club would like to thank the Pagosa Springs community for their continued support of Rotary events and fundraisers that have made our local scholarships possible again this year. Additionally, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club was pleased to receive a Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative matching grant this year.
Celebrating our 2018 Scholarship Recipients
By Jim Garrett
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club is proud to announce those individuals receiving 2018 Rotary Scholarships totaling $28,000.
Colton Castro---Colton plans to attend Colorado State University to major in Pre-med.
Hailey Rose—Hailey will also attend Colorado State University majoring in Zoology.
Keanan Anderson-- Keanan will attend the University of Denver majoring in both business administration and computer science.
Kyle Garcia –-Kyle will attend the University of Utah and plans to study business.
Kayla Nasralla—Kayla plans to attend Seattle Pacific University majoring in Business Administration.
Zoee Strohecker—Zoee will be attending Brigham Young University and plans to major in Occupational Therapy.
Kimberly Armendariz– Kimberly plans to attend Santa Fe Community College and pursue nursing.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club congratulates the outstanding class of 2018 and wishes each of them success in their future endeavors.
Since 1983, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club has awarded a total of $441,000 in scholarships to 169 local high school graduates. The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club would like to thank the Pagosa Springs community for their continued support of Rotary events and fundraisers that have made our local scholarships possible again this year. Additionally, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club was pleased to receive a Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative matching grant this year.
Colton Castro---Colton plans to attend Colorado State University to major in Pre-med.
Hailey Rose—Hailey will also attend Colorado State University majoring in Zoology.
Keanan Anderson-- Keanan will attend the University of Denver majoring in both business administration and computer science.
Kyle Garcia –-Kyle will attend the University of Utah and plans to study business.
Kayla Nasralla—Kayla plans to attend Seattle Pacific University majoring in Business Administration.
Zoee Strohecker—Zoee will be attending Brigham Young University and plans to major in Occupational Therapy.
Kimberly Armendariz– Kimberly plans to attend Santa Fe Community College and pursue nursing.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club congratulates the outstanding class of 2018 and wishes each of them success in their future endeavors.
Since 1983, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club has awarded a total of $441,000 in scholarships to 169 local high school graduates. The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club would like to thank the Pagosa Springs community for their continued support of Rotary events and fundraisers that have made our local scholarships possible again this year. Additionally, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club was pleased to receive a Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative matching grant this year.
In another schools-related topic, Kim announced that grants made by Rotary to Archuleta School District teachers for supplies and materials needed for classroom projects had benefited over 1600 students. If I can still do my numbers (learned also when dinosaurs roamed the earth) the cost for that was less that $1 per student – that’s leveraging your money!
2017: ROTARY AWARDS RECORD $30,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS
By Livia Cloman Lynch
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club is proud to announce those individuals receiving 2017 Rotary Scholarships totaling a record $30,000.
Devin Olivares-Garcia---Devin will attend Ft. Lewis College and plans to study computer engineering.
McKayla Miller– McKayla will also attend Ft. Lewis College and plans to major in elementary education.
Meghan Manzanares – Meghan will attend Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy in Colorado Springs and will study cosmetology.
Cameron DeMarco – Cameron will attend Colorado State University and plans to study engineering.
Madison Greenly– Madison will attend the University of Colorado Boulder and plans to major in computer programming.
Katreena Yeneza-- Katreena will also attend the University of Colorado Boulder and plans to major in computer science and minor in media design.
Pitcher Lindner—Pitcher will attend the University of Texas Austin and plans to major in electrical and computer engineering.
Hayley Mitchell—Hayley plans to attend Colorado State University majoring in biochemistry.
Devin Olivares-Garcia---Devin will attend Ft. Lewis College and plans to study computer engineering.
McKayla Miller– McKayla will also attend Ft. Lewis College and plans to major in elementary education.
Meghan Manzanares – Meghan will attend Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy in Colorado Springs and will study cosmetology.
Cameron DeMarco – Cameron will attend Colorado State University and plans to study engineering.
Madison Greenly– Madison will attend the University of Colorado Boulder and plans to major in computer programming.
Katreena Yeneza-- Katreena will also attend the University of Colorado Boulder and plans to major in computer science and minor in media design.
Pitcher Lindner—Pitcher will attend the University of Texas Austin and plans to major in electrical and computer engineering.
Hayley Mitchell—Hayley plans to attend Colorado State University majoring in biochemistry.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club congratulates the outstanding class of 2017 and wishes each of them success in their future endeavors.
Since 1983, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club has awarded a total of $413,000 in scholarships to 162 local high school graduates. The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club would like to thank the Pagosa Springs community for their continued support of Rotary events and fundraisers that have made our local scholarships possible again this year. Additionally, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club was pleased to receive a Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative matching grant this year.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club is proud to announce those individuals receiving 2018 Rotary Scholarships totaling $28,000.
Colton Castro---Colton plans to attend Colorado State University to major in Pre-med.
Hailey Rose—Hailey will also attend Colorado State University majoring in Zoology.
Keanan Anderson-- Keanan will attend the University of Denver majoring in both business administration and computer science.
Kyle Garcia –-Kyle will attend the University of Utah and plans to study business.
Kayla Nasralla—Kayla plans to attend Seattle Pacific University majoring in Business Administration.
Zoee Strohecker—Zoee will be attending Brigham Young University and plans to major in Occupational Therapy.
Kimberly Armendariz– Kimberly plans to attend Santa Fe Community College and pursue nursing.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club congratulates the outstanding class of 2018 and wishes each of them success in their future endeavors.
Since 1983, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club has awarded a total of $441,000 in scholarships to 169 local high school graduates. The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club would like to thank the Pagosa Springs community for their continued support of Rotary events and fundraisers that have made our local scholarships possible again this year. Additionally, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club was pleased to receive a Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative matching grant this year.
Colton Castro---Colton plans to attend Colorado State University to major in Pre-med.
Hailey Rose—Hailey will also attend Colorado State University majoring in Zoology.
Keanan Anderson-- Keanan will attend the University of Denver majoring in both business administration and computer science.
Kyle Garcia –-Kyle will attend the University of Utah and plans to study business.
Kayla Nasralla—Kayla plans to attend Seattle Pacific University majoring in Business Administration.
Zoee Strohecker—Zoee will be attending Brigham Young University and plans to major in Occupational Therapy.
Kimberly Armendariz– Kimberly plans to attend Santa Fe Community College and pursue nursing.
The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club congratulates the outstanding class of 2018 and wishes each of them success in their future endeavors.
Since 1983, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club has awarded a total of $441,000 in scholarships to 169 local high school graduates. The Pagosa Springs Rotary Club would like to thank the Pagosa Springs community for their continued support of Rotary events and fundraisers that have made our local scholarships possible again this year. Additionally, the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club was pleased to receive a Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative matching grant this year.
In another schools-related topic, Kim announced that grants made by Rotary to Archuleta School District teachers for supplies and materials needed for classroom projects had benefited over 1600 students. If I can still do my numbers (learned also when dinosaurs roamed the earth) the cost for that was less that $1 per student – that’s leveraging your money!