The Anne Straddling Foundation has awarded three scholarships worth a total of $12,000 to graduating high school seniors from Santa Cruz County. The funds will be applied to their tuition at the college of their choice in increments of $1,000 per semester for four semesters beginning in the fall of 2020.
“These students epitomize the qualities of high academic scholarship, a deep commitment to community volunteerism, a strong background in agricultural activities and a dedication to their school’s organizations that our scholarships were designed to promote,” said foundation president Beth Sullivan.
Sheyanne Pruett of Sonoita is a graduate of Cienega High School where she ranked 161 out of 392 students. She plans to attend West Texas University where she will major in animal science and then enroll in Texas A & M to earn a degree in veterinary medicine. Her focus and interest in agriculture began when she joined 4-H at the age of 9. She began showing rabbits, then went on to showing cattle, and developed a goal of working at a feedlot. She has also been active in FFA (Future Farmers of America), was a member of National Society of High School Scholars, the Science Honor Socciety and the Bobcat student of Success Program.
Another aspiring future veterinarian is Sonoita resident Alexandra Pallanes who attended three years at Patagonia High School and completed her degree at Andrada Polytechnic High School in Vail. She gained hands-on experience volunteering with a local vet during the summer. She joined 4-H Clover Kids at the age of five, progressing to large animals and spent the past several years raising livestock for consumption in the local area. She has been involved in FFA, Skill-A-Thon, and livestock judging, and was named the Arizona 2018 Junior Beef Ambassador, where she participated in statewide events promoting the cattle industry.
Maya Angelique of Rio Rico will graduate with a 4.667 grade average from Nogales High School, where she ranks 9th in the class of 411 students. She is enrolled in the University of Arizona and plans to obtain a degree in law.