Amy Kehoe
Leo K. Najarian Memorial Scholarship / $10,000
My name is Amy Kehoe, I’m eighteen years old and graduating from Great Oak High School in Temecula, CA. I have three sisters and I love to swim, read, play the piano, and I love animals. I have played water polo for all of high school and loved it! I am very excited to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah in September 2019. I look forward to studying Nursing to become a Nurse Practitioner. I hope to use this education to help people in my everyday life and to truly make a difference in the lives of others. I am so thankful to be receiving this scholarship. Thank you LAFRA!
Nathan Miller
Bill Goss Memorial Scholarship / $8,000
Hi my name is Nathan Miller. I am an incoming freshman at Washington State University and I will be majoring in Construction Engineering. Some of the activities and hobbies that I enjoy include blacksmithing, being creative in the arts, and tennis. Ever since I was a little boy I enjoyed playing with Legos and building models. I believe this inspired me to study Engineering. Furthermore, my love of the outdoors inspired me to follow a career path that is not a full-time desk job thus allowing me the opportunity to travel and experience new cultures. My future goals include becoming a successful Construction Engineer, building designer, and philanthropist. This is an exciting period in my life and I cannot wait to see where it takes me.
Alana Backstrom
Relief Scholarship Winner / $7,500
I recently graduated from Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton, California. I will continue my softball career at Drexel University where I will be majoring in Nursing. I hope to become a Nurse Practitioner in the future. I enjoy reading, going on hikes, going to the beach, and hanging out with friends. I look forward to living in Philadelphia and exploring the great city with all of its great food and culture. I love spending time with my parents and older brother as well.
Elyse Cuevas
Relief Scholarship Winner / $7,500
My name is Elyse Cuevas and I am a senior at Temple City High School. I enjoy reading, listening to music, watching the same shows on repeat, and spending time with my family. I am very interested in film and theatre and hope to someday be able to work on a set or become a screenwriter. I want to be able to create an inclusive piece of work for all; something that is diverse and representative of the real world. I hope to someday have a hand in diversifying the media to reflect the world that I see, that the everyday people around me see.
Ethan Scott Davenport
Relief Scholarship Winner / $7,500
Hi my name is Ethan Davenport and I’m 18 years old and I’m going to be an incoming freshman at CSULB. Ever since I was able, I’ve been obsessed with reading and writing all kinds of stories. I’m going to be majoring in Creative Writing in the hopes of becoming a renowned author in the future. Besides reading and writing I have other hobbies like traveling, skate boarding, playing video games, exercising, reading and collecting comic books, and surfing. I was raised by my mom and step-father, engineer Luis Ochoa in Long Beach, California and I’ve spent the majority of my life working hard and exploring everything this world has to offer because of them. I’d have to say my favorite past time of all is just hanging out with my friends. The adventures we shared, laughs we’ve had, and tears we’ve shed have given me infinite inspiration in creating stories and unique characters and in encouraging me to stay true to myself and pursue my dream. My main goal for the future is to finish college and then set to work inspiring, teaching, and moving people through my stories. One day maybe even surpassing the fans of Marvel with my own?
Matthew McKnight
Dennis Mendenhall Memorial Scholarship / $10,000
I recently graduated from Thousand Oaks High School and I am planning to attend Moorpark College with a major in Health Sciences. I am also planning to take fire science and technology courses. I will then transfer to a University and I will follow my father’s footsteps in becoming a Paramedic. I am currently in the Ventura County Fire Department’s Explorer Program, and my hobbies include playing guitar, surfing, and collecting vinyl records.