The Valero Alamo Bowl awarded a record $450,000 at a special luncheon on December 16th to 58 graduating seniors selected from more than 30 different San Antonio high schools. Each winner will receive a scholarship of $7,500+ to attend the college of their choice. All of the winners were recognized on the field during the first quarter of the Valero Alamo Bowl.
This year’s total was highest in the bowl’s history and pushed the bowl’s local scholarship giving the last 16 years to $2.1 million. The Valero Alamo Bowl is planning on increasing that total in 2016.
The scholarships were awarded on the basis of academic achievement, teacher recommendations, financial need, a personal narrative as well as involvement in extracurricular activities with priority given to students participating in varsity sports.
“The Valero Alamo Bowl is honored to recognize these outstanding achievers with the highest scholarship total in our history,” said Valero Alamo Bowl President/CEO Derrick Fox. “These multi-faceted students excelled in the classroom, on the athletic fields and in many endeavors that benefited our community.”
Funding for the scholarship program comes from the Valero Alamo Bowl as well as generous support from Frost, H-E-B, Mike Yantis, Jr., Shining Star ENERGY and Valero.
This year’s Valero Alamo Bowl Scholarship recipients are:
Olivia Agee, Stevens High School: Olivia hopes to attend UTSA to study physical therapy. She was ranked #3 in her class and lettered four years in her school’s varsity marching band.
Perla Aguirre, Southside High School: Hoping to study political science at Texas A&M University, Perla spent two years in her school’s Business Professionals of America club, serving as Vice President in her senior year.
Astrid Alvarado, Edison High School: Named to the UIL First Division band team and serving as head drum major for her school, Astrid hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study journalism.
Nadia Balderas, Young Women’s Leadership Academy: Nadia, a four-year member and Vice President of the National Honor Society, hopes to attend either Yale University or Columbia College. She ranked first in her class while maintaining a GPA over 100.
Diego Bass, Harlandale High School: Diego hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study mechanical engineering. He is a two-year varsity letter winner in basketball.
Kyle Benson, MacArthur High School: Hoping to study business at the United States Naval Academy, Kyle served as captain for his school’s swim team for two years and was named to the All-State team.
Sarah Bi, Churchill High School: A three-year varsity letter winner and team captain in tennis, Sarah ranked #1 in her class and hopes to study engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.
Zachary Brooke, Health Careers High School: Zachary, a two-year varsity letter winner in cross country, hopes to attend UTSA to study pre-medicine.
Chuin Chia, O’Connor High School: Chuin hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study accounting. He was a four-year varsity letter winner in soccer and served as team captain for two years.
Exal Cisneros-Tuch, Stevens High School: Exal was a two-year varsity letter winner in swimming while maintaining a 99 GPA. He hopes to study engineering at either the University of Texas at Austin or Texas Tech.
Kathryn Clark, St. Anthony Catholic High School: Ranked #4 in her class, Kathryn served as president of her school’s Latin Club while being a member for four years. She hopes to attend Our Lady of the Lake University or University of the Incarnate Word to study English.
Olivia Corona, East Central High School: Olivia hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin or Baylor University to study mechanical engineering. She was also a three-year varsity letter winner in cross country and soccer while maintaining a GPA of over 100.
Naomi De La Cruz, Harlandale High School: Naomi maintains a GPA of 103 and hopes study accounting at the University of Texas at Austin.
Lauren Devlin, TMI: Hoping to study business at Emory University, Lauren is a four-year varsity letter winner in softball where she serves as team captain. She has also been named 1st Team All-District twice.
Leah Faron, Health Careers High School: Ranked #4 in her class while maintaining a GPA of over 100, Leah hopes to attend UTSA to study biology.
Alexis Forbes, Judson Early College Academy: A three-year varsity letter winner in soccer, Alexis ranked #3 in her class and hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study biology.
Rachel Frazer, Holmes High School: Rachel hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study music. She is a four-year varsity letter winner in band where she was named Most Outstanding Wind Ensemble Student.
Harrison Frende, Lee High School: Harrison maintains a GPA of over 110 and hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin to major in mechanical engineering.
Gabriela Galan, Reagan High School: Gabriela is a four-year varsity letter winner in soccer and was named 6A First Team All-District. She hopes to attend Trinity University to study biology.
Rebekah Gardea, Castle Hills First Baptist School: Rebekah maintains a 4.20 GPA and hopes to attend Texas State University to study nursing.
Samuel Grossman, Roosevelt High School: Samuel hopes to attend Stanford University to study engineering. He was ranked third in his class of 160.
Pierce Heintzelman, Clark High School: Pierce is a varsity letter winner in basketball and hopes to study engineering at either Stanford University or the University of Texas at Austin.
Mary Henriquez, Atonement Academy: Mary hopes to attend the University of Houston to study music. She has participated in Honors Choir for three years where she served as a Section Leader.
Sarah Henriquez, Atonement Academy: Sarah hopes to attend the University of Dallas to study biology. She is a two-year letter winner in cross country and placed second in this year’s Team State competition. Her sister Mary also won a Valero Alamo Bowl scholarship. It was the third time siblings have both won but the first time in the same year.
Alejandro Huerta, Highlands High School: A member of his school’s cross country and tennis team, Alejandro hopes to attend Texas A&M University to major in mechanical engineering.
Jason Ingersoll, Lee High School: Jason, a four-year letter winner in baseball, maintains a GPA of 106 and hopes to study finance at Texas A&M University- San Antonio.
Jacob Isler, Randolph High School: A member of his school’s track/cross country and basketball teams, Jacob hopes to study political science at Rice University.
Carrington Kirstein, Keystone School – San Antonio: Carrington hopes to study engineering at either Vanderbilt University or Rice University and served as Vice President of his class the past two years.
Brett Lester, Reagan High School: A four-year varsity letter winner in track, Brett hopes to attend Stanford University to study engineering.
Kasey Leung, Alamo Heights High School: Kasey hopes to attend Rice University to study physics. She is a four-year varsity letter winner and team captain in golf.
Alexis Lightbourn, Fox Tech High School: A varsity sprinter for her school’s track team, Alexis hopes to attend Rice University to study biology.
Edward Lopez, III, Randolph High School: Edward hopes to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study engineering. He lettered four years in football and track and field at his school.
Ian McGinnis, The Winston School San Antonio: Named MVP of his varsity basketball team, Ian hopes to attend Texas Lutheran University to study computer science.
Alexis Mireles, Kennedy High School: Alexis ranked seventh in her class and hopes to study nursing at Baylor University.
Michael Neathery, San Antonio Christian High School: A four-year letterman and San Antonio All-Star Game inductee, Michael hopes to study pre-medicine at Trinity University.
Brittany Parker, Antonian High School: Brittany hopes to attend Texas A&M University to study physical therapy. She is a four-year varsity letter winner in basketball and was named First Team All-State.
Emily Pearson, Providence High School: A four-year varsity letter winner in softball and a three-year varsity letter winner in volleyball, Emily hopes to study pre-law at Wellesley College.
Jeffrey Quinn, Brennan High School: Jeffrey ranked #2 in class and hopes to study business at Boston College. He is also a three-year varsity letter winner and team captain in basketball.
Antonio Ramos-Michael, Brackenridge High School: A team captain and four-year varsity letter winner in swimming, Antonio hopes to attend Texas A&M University to study international relations.
Echo Rhodes, South San High School: Echo hopes to study chemistry at Rice University. She ranked second in her class out of 481 students and maintains a GPA of over 102.
Sylvia Ricondo, Harlandale High School: Sylvia was named captain of her varsity basketball team this year and hopes to study computer science at Stanford University.
Alma Rivera, East Central High School: A varsity letter winner in track, cross country and soccer, Alma hopes to attend Baylor University to study pre-medicine.
Lauren Robertson, San Antonio Christian High School: Ranked #1 in her class, Lauren earned varsity letters in tennis and cross country. She hopes to attend Baylor University to study pre-medicine.
Angelina Robledo, Warren High School: Angelina hopes to attend St. Mary’s University to study mechanical engineering. She is also a three-year letter winner in cross country and track and field.
Shelby Sandoval, Madison High School: A defensive captain and four-year varsity letter winner in volleyball, Shelby hopes to study psychology at Texas A&M University.
Delani Sipila, O’Connor High School: Delani hopes to attend Texas Lutheran University and major in pre-medicine. She was named First Team All-Academic and Second Team All-District in softball.
Peter Sitterle, Alamo Heights High School: A varsity letterman in basketball, Peter hopes to attend Vanderbilt University to study finance.
Ryan Sullivan, Reagan High School: A two-year varsity letter winner and Academic All-District winner in football, Ryan will attend Texas A&M University to study international relations.
Katelyn Suprynowicz, Cole High School: Katelyn hopes to attend Montana State University – Bozeman to study natural sciences. She is a two-year letter winner in swimming.
Jasmine Taylor, Fox Tech High School: A team captain and five-time medalist on the debate team, Jasmine hopes to attend the University of Houston to study pre-law.
Noah Tiemeyer, Judson High School – Converse: Noah ranks in the top ten of his class while maintaining a GPA of 100. He hopes to attend Master’s College to study physical therapy.
Briana Torres, Holy Cross High School: Briana, a three-year member and captain of her school’s speech team, ranks second in her class and hopes to study medicine at Brown University.
Manuel S. Valles, Southwest High School: Ranked third in his class, Manuel is a four-year letter winner in football and was named team captain. He hopes to attend the University of Pennsylvania to study biology.
Dominic Venditti, John Jay High School: Named twice to the All-District swimming and diving team, Dominic hopes to study Geography at Texas A&M University.
Jenna Villarreal, Incarnate Word High School: Jenna hopes to attend either Dallas University or Trinity University to study business. She is a four-year varsity letter winner in basketball and softball and was named to All-State teams in both sports.
Cameron Walker, San Antonio Christian High School: A four-year varsity letter winner in volleyball and recipient of the Perseverance Award, Cameron hopes to study medicine at Texas A&M University.
Changxiao Xie, Brandeis High School: Changxiao ranks first in her class and hopes to study electrical engineering at Princeton University. She is also a four-year varsity letter winner in swimming.
Francisco Zamora, Communications Arts High School: Francisco hopes to study medicine at Texas A&M University. He is captain and a four-year member of the Alamo City Soccer Club.
Shining Star Energy Scholarships
This year two students were surprised with additional awards during the luncheon courtesy of Shining Star ENERGY. Perla Aguirre from Southside High School received a $10,000 scholarship and Jasmine Taylor of Fox Tech High School received a $20,000 scholarship courtesy of Sondra Grohman, president of Shining Star ENERGY.