Graduating seniors collect $350,000 in scholarships
Live Oak High’s Class of 2004 recognized its leaders during the school’s annual Awards of Excellence ceremony.
Approximately $350,000 in scholarships were distributed during the evening, with many of the scholarship donors present to meet the recipients and their families.
The Class of 2004, approximately 540 seniors, will be graduating Friday, June 11, at 6 p.m. on Richert Field.
The class Valedictorian Emile Pinarbasi and Salutatorian Sarah Markham were also honored, and the class’ “Outstanding Girl and Boy” were named. Associated Student Body President Wesley LaPorte and Sandra Yam received the awards.
“It was a very special evening,” parent volunteer Jan Bergkamp said. “We had the scholarship donors sitting at tables in the library, so the students and their families could spend some time talking to them. And the performances were wonderful.”
The Live Oak choir performed the “Star Spangled Banner,” and Alika Spencer, this year’s Gilroy Garlic Queen, performed “I Dreamed a Dream,” from the musical Les Miserables. Courtney Gavin, Spencer’s first runner up, performed her comedic skit from “Superstar,” and had everyone laughing, according to Bergkamp.
Eleven graduates received Silver Cords to wear during graduation to represent their outstanding service to the school and community. The top 10 percent of the graduating class, or 55 students, received Gold Cords to wear at graduation representing academic excellence.
The scholarships came from a variety of donors, including individual elementary schools in the district, the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers, the American Association of University Women, the Interact Club, Band of America, the California Scholarship Federation, the Latina Coalition, Gilroy Sons of Italy, Morgan Hill Lions Club, Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce, Morgan Hill Police Officers’ Association, Morgan Hill Grange, Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras, Naval ROTC, the Rotary Club, Santa Clara County Farm Bureau, South County Realtors Association and more.
Many families and individuals awarded scholarships as well, including memorial scholarships such as the Stephen Michael Stramback Memorial, the Chris Shriver Memorial, the Dorothy Sheratt Memorial, the Ray Gwinn Memorial, John Reif Memorial, Louis Mammini Memorial, the Susan Lewis Memorial, the Dee Heiman Memorial, the Ryan Estes Memorial, the Jeff Davenport Memorial, the Richard Hayes Memorial and the Katherine Sheldon Dewhurst Memorial.
Bergkamp said there are likely other scholarships students received; the only ones listed in the event program and invited to be a part of the program were the ones students told her about.
Bergkamp jumped in and did much of the planning for the event this year, Live Oak Principal Nancy Serigstad said.
“We made her an honorary staff member,” she said. “She’s 100 percent volunteer and 100 percent staff.”
The school, as a result of district budget cuts over the past two years, shares counselor Karen Cyris with Britton Middle School. Bergkamp, who has been an active parent over the years, saw a way to help the school and students and stepped in to fill the void. She has worked a nearly full schedule to pull together the event.
But that hasn’t been her only function, Serigstad said. She has worked in the career counseling office assisting students.
“She has served as a bridge of information with the staff,” Serigstad said. “She brings a parent perspective to this, which is so important.”
Former Live Oak High School student LCPL Teal A. Peterson was also awarded the N-ROTC (Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps – Marine Option) 4-Year Scholarship, a highly competitive, national selection process. He is the son of Zeta (Wilson) Peterson and Phillip Peterson of Morgan Hill. His stepmother is Neva Peterson, also of Morgan Hill.
