AAUW announces scholarship winners

From left, Rozi Hutter, Oriss Olvera and Mercedes Morales are the recipients of $2,500 scholarships from the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Funds for the scholarships are raised at the annual AAUW Art Show in October. The Stanwood branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has announced the recipients of their annual scholarships, funded by the AAUW Art Show in Stanwood.

Rozi Hutter of Arlington and Oriss Olvera and Mercedes Morales, both of Stanwood, received their awards at a recent AAUW meeting.

Hutter graduated from Arlington High School in 2004. She attended community college for two years and then took a leave for five years while she worked at a call center. She also volunteered up to 20 hours a week at Stay Safe Seattle where she provided drug and sex education information for teens. Her co-coordinator there wrote, “It would be a travesty for someone as bright as her to not have the support she deserves. She has an amazing amount of potential.” She plans to major in English at Central Washington University, starting this fall.

Morales graduated from Stanwood High School in 2008. She has been attending the University of Washington and will continue her studies in the fall where she is majoring in education. While at the UW, Mercedes has been an officer in Unidas Seremos (United We Are), an organization determined to help women of color and to raise awareness of the obstacles women face in college.

One of Mercedes’ teachers said, “She is one of those students I would go to great lengths to help ensure has the opportunities to become the successful person she is destined to become.”

Olvera graduated from Stanwood High School in 2004. She has attended community colleges for the past two years, but plans to continue her studies at Western Washington University this fall majoring in education. Olvera has helped in local elementary and high schools with non- English speaking students. She has received prestigious awards for her art and challenged herself with advanced placement classes in high school.

“I don’t intend on giving up,” she said. She credits her mother as being her greatest motivation for improving herself through education. Olvera is the first in her family to finish high school and is committed to being a role model for her sisters. Her teacher said about her, “She has a warmth and kindness that will surely nourish her students. This is the kind of student we must encourage to continue her education.”

As part of the selection process, the applicants are asked to write an essay explaining their relationship to the AAUW mission.

The AAUW has been a catalyst for change and improving women’s lives worldwide since 1881. Its mission statement includes pay equity, gender equality, social justice and philanthropy.

Applications were judged on this essay as well as their community contributions, employment, volunteer work and financial need. In addition to the financial award for tuition and books, each recipient was given a student membership in AAUW.

This year’s AAUW Art Show will be at the Stanwood Camano Fairgrounds Oct. 15-17.

For information contact Betty McCadden, 387-7558, bmchoov@wavecable.com.