Press Release – Islands’ Weekly 6/16/26
Seven awards, $48K: Community support breaks scholarship foundation record By Gretchen Wing, originally published in The Islands’ Weekly on June 16th, 2026 From left to right: LICSF board member Sheldon Haber; awardees Danielle Arnott, Naima Garcia, Evelyn Aguilar-Clavel, Kimber Estey, Nikolai Kazakov, Kaileah Poole, Ana-Sophia Rempel; and LICSF board member Tom Cowan. (Photo credit: Patsy Haber) Thanks to the unprecedented generosity of the community, Lopez Island Community Scholarship Foundation awarded seven scholarships at the 2026 Lopez School Scholarship Awards Night. Not only does that number break last year’s record, but each individual scholarship increased, resulting in a whopping $48,000 worth of awards. Two students received the $4,000 Career, Technical and Engineering Award for two years of community college, and another five — including all three co-Valedictorians — each received $8,000 awards for four-year study. Their plans of study range through the sciences, social sciences and humanities, and their self-assurance and gratitude are inspiring. CTE scholarship awardee Danielle Arnott, daughter of Trisha and Stanley Arnott, is heading for two years at Bellingham Technical College to become a veterinary technician, with plans to transfer to Washington state to complete her degree. In her application, Danielle credits her horse trainer with teaching her to “approach challenges with determination instead of doubt.” Fellow CTE awardee Naima Garcia, daughter of Marjorie Schreurs and Diano Garcia, will attend the nursing program at Skagit Valley Community College for two years, then plans to complete her BS at a university. Naima is considering a career in labor and delivery nursing, though her personal experience pushes her to help anyone in need. Having undergone surgery for a sports injury in her senior year and a grueling recovery, Naima wrote in her application, “the nurse that I had during my surgery is who inspired me to pursue nursing in the first place. She was a huge comfort to me in the hospital, and I would love to be able to do that for others.” Heading to Seattle University is Evelyn Aguilar-Clavel, daughter of Eloina Clavel Garcia and Alejandro Aguilar. The first in her family to attend a four-year university, Evelyn attributes her confidence and goal-setting to growing up in a Spanish-speaking home. “Over time,” she wrote in her application, “I began to understand the importance of being a bilingual speaker. What once felt challenging became one of my strengths. I realized that my ability to communicate in both languages allowed me to bridge gaps, not just for my family, but for my community as well.” While interested in sports management or media, Evelyn is open to all the opportunities college has to offer. Co-Valedictorian Kimber Estey, daughter of Brian Estey and Trusanda Lyons, will travel all the way to New York City to matriculate at the University of Mount St. Vincent, where she plans to major in public policy. Kimber’s bosses at Lopez Bookshop, Hilary Seglin and Camilla Wilde, wrote in their letter of recommendation that “Kimber has brought wisdom, intellectual curiosity, compassion, and calm competence to her role” at the bookshop, and noted Kimber’s extraordinary commitment to learning, “reading at least 100 books per year beyond her assigned reading for school, and across many genres.” Another co-Valedictorian, Nikolai Kazakov (grandson of Janet and William Raab), intends to pursue electrical engineering at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, with the possibility of continuing on for a master’s degree. In her letter of recommendation, secondary STEM teacher Kristen Maker especially praised Nikolai’s work ethic, noting, “Nik is not someone who seeks attention for his work; instead, he demonstrates commitment through consistency, follow-through, and a willingness to put in the effort required to succeed.” Third co-Valedictorian and Associated Student Body Vice President Kaileah Poole, daughter of Jennifer and Douglas Poole, is heading this fall to the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma to study education, with the goal of becoming a high school teacher or counselor. In her application, Kaileah wrote: “Lopez has taught me that community is the most precious gift, and giving back feels like the greatest reward. I am so excited to step into a new chapter, with the support and love of my community burning bright within me.” Last but not least in this stellar group is ASB President Ana-Sophia Rempel, daughter of Claudia and Jeremy Rempel, who will also attend UPS in Tacoma. Ana-Sophia intends to study public policy and international affairs, while remaining open to the lure of other paths. She credits her leadership in student government with challenging her “to think outside the box and come up with new ideas that help students feel included and empowered to succeed.” LICSF is bursting with pride that these phenomenal 2026 graduates will soon represent Lopez all over the state and even the country. All aim high, and all focus on elevating others as they rise. Board members will now work with each scholar to match them with an advocate, a non-family community member who will stay in touch throughout the years of their post-secondary schooling, providing support as needed. Seven student-advocate matches are the most LICSF has ever needed to make, so if you have ties with any of these graduates, please visit licsf.org to get in touch with any board member. As board member Tom Cowan noted in his speech at Awards Night, seven awardees are 40% of Lopez High School’s 2026 graduating class. But given the response of the community to LICSF’s fundraising efforts, who knows? Perhaps next year will bring a new record level of scholarship support. Please visit licsf.org if you feel interest in becoming an advocate for a future graduate, or in joining the LICSF board, or if you wish to financially support our hard-working students.
Press Release – Islands’ Weekly 4/9/26
New article: Scholarships Support Lopez Students By Mary Bywater Cross, originally published in The Islands’ Weekly on April 9th, 2026 Counselor Robb Ellis and 2024 Scholar Melissa Valencia Sandoval Spring, in the world of education, is a time of anticipation and celebration. For Lopez high school seniors, the closure of the K-12 phase can also evoke anxiety about the costs of higher education. Luckily, Lopez students can avail themselves of multiple scholarships, some aimed specifically at them. The scholarship spreadsheet created by school counselor Robb Ellis includes 11 local scholarships, five regional and five statewide, plus two large databases of other state and national possibilities. To avoid overwhelming students, theWashBoard.org database matches students with the likeliest scholarships for their interests. While most scholarships are general, others focus on specific areas of study, such as art/music, agriculture, medical, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), tourism-related fields and technical and vocational opportunities. Ellis works closely with students and staff through conversations, class presentations and field trips to visit programs to encourage applicants. Most scholarships are annual awards, some with the possibility of renewal. The Lopez Island Community Scholarship is the only local award structured to cover each year for a total of either two or four years, depending on the student’s choice of career program or traditional college. LICSF scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need, community service, scholastic accomplishments, recommendation letters and special skills. The award includes an advocate, selected by the student and board, to help navigate their post-Lopez education. As LICSF and other scholarship applications become available to students, the awarders of scholarships are hard at work fundraising. The number of awards and their amounts are based on the success of fundraisers’ work. Lopez is fortunate to have a population that believes in the future of young people and contributes generously to multiple foundations, faith-based and community-oriented groups, individuals and businesses. What better way to show your support than shopping at the Lopez Thrift Shop or making a donation through April’s GiveLopez event (Givelopez.org)? The celebration of this year’s seniors’ Awards and Honor Diploma Student Presentations is Tuesday, May 26, at 6:30 p.m. at the school. The public is invited to show their support in person.
Update: GiveLopez 2026!
Update: GiveLopez 2026 is coming up April 13-27! LICSF will be participating with several other local organizations to support our community Give Lopez is a two-week Spring fundraiser that benefits 16 non-profits on Lopez Island doing work on Lopez Island. Your donation supports islanders working towards the common good and making a long-term difference in our community. We are building a stronger, more vibrant, resilient community by giving together. Thank you for being part of Give Lopez and investing in your community’s future. Give Lopez 2026 runs from April 13th – 27th. This is an exciting time of the year for LICSF! We will be receiving and reviewing scholarship applications from this year’s graduates in the coming few weeks. Your contributions to LICSF through this year’s GiveLopez campaign will go directly to support 1-2 scholarships for the current graduating class. Awardees will be announced at the annual Awards Celebration at Lopez School on May 26th. Thank you for all that you do to support our students and our community broadly! Visit GiveLopez 2026
Scholar Spotlight: Kai DiBona
Lopez scholarship winner changes plans but keeps scholarship Originally published in The Islands’ Weekly on January 21, 2025 1:30 am “Change” is the word to describe the career path of Kai DiBona, a 2021 award recipient of the Lopez Island Community Scholarship Foundation. Originally, Kai began her educational path with a goal of attending Western Washington University for a four-year accounting degree. Kai’s scholarship application was strengthened by the letter of support from Katie Fleming of San Juan County Environmental Stewardship Department which acknowledged Kai’s “enthusiasm for acquiring new information, participating in new experiences and applying your learning to real world situations, making a difference.” Leaving the supportive island environment and opportunities, however, and moving into the larger world left Kai confused and frustrated. After two years at Western, she was able to take a break, doing a lot of hiking and reviving to her handicraft hobbies of knitting and crocheting. Kai says moving her body and working with her hands helped her to realize her love of building a career using her hands creatively. With her mom’s support and encouragement, she enrolled in the Evergreen Beauty College. Kai at work, with fellow beauty college student Janise Rands Given this sharp shift in career plans, Kai was concerned the LICSF might not wish to support her financially. In the summer of 2024, Kai submitted a letter expressing her appreciation for LICSF support and wondering if the Board would still back her. Board member Debby Hatch investigated Evergreen Beauty College’s mission learning that “Each member of the Trieu family (owners of EBC) cares deeply about the lives of their students. This same sense of care is infused throughout every aspect of the Evergreen culture. And it’s a difference you’ll feel.” For Kai, this difference matters, because of the Asian heritage she shares with the Trieus. One-year-old Kai had been brought to Lopez from China in 2004 by Patt Moore and Alan DiBona. Attending this beauty college owned and operated by Asians allows Kai to be the type of hairstylist she never found on Lopez. “Growing up, it was difficult for me to find a person to cut my hair the way I wanted,” she said. “One of my goals is to be able to learn as much as I can about other hair types so I can service all different hair types and people.” Not only did the LICSF Board enthusiastically approve Kai’s new direction in attending this award-winning certified program, but its members are also extremely pleased to support the personal growth and change this young woman has undertaken.
Scholar Spotlight: Abril Velazco
Where Are They Now? Abril Velazco Finds Community at Bellingham Tech By Gretchen Wing As part of its “Where are they now?” series, the Lopez Island Community Scholarship Foundation (LICSF) caught up with 2025 scholarship recipient Abril Velazco. Abril was the sole recipient of the CTE (Career and Technical Education) award last year, bound for two years at Bellingham Technical College to study nursing. Being at Bellingham Tech compared to Lopez was “scary at first,” Abril said. On her first day of class, she got lost. “The BTC campus isn’t that big, but coming from Lopez Island High School, it was really big to me in the moment! I walked around for about 15 minutes and ended up needing to ask for help because I was late…only to find out I had already passed the classroom twice.” Pretty embarrassing, Abril admits, “but it’s funny to look back on now.” Abril relaxing during her off time. Once inside classrooms with “20 people or so,” Abril found herself on more familiar ground, “excited about interacting with new people and making friends.” Now, with two quarters under her belt, Abril said her college experience has “gone better than I ever could have imagined.” While she has enjoyed all her classes, a favorite has been an interactive course, Interpersonal Communication, involving lots of public speaking and group work. Said Abril, “I think I particularly enjoyed it so much because I already had the necessary skills, and I owe that to my past English teachers, Mr. Carter and Mr. Tetu. They both helped me build the confidence that I didn’t always have, which now allows me to present confidently in a room full of people. This was something I struggled with in the beginning of high school, but they helped me build those skills overtime and were always there to provide support and help me improve.”The first in her family to attend college, Abril said she had no set expectations, but just hoped everything would go smoothly. Her biggest surprise at BTC has been the supportiveness of the professors, although she expects that might be due to her choice of community college. “I’m in a smaller setting, where they can provide more support. At a big university, with so many students in one room, it’s harder to get that one-on-one time with your professor.” When not in class or studying, Abril works as a Home Care Aide through a private agency, a job she started just after Thanksgiving, and which she loves. “It is so rewarding to help older adults, and know that I am making their life a bit easier by being there to provide care they need.” Besides supporting her, Abril appreciates that professional caregiving will also give her lots of valuable experience before she starts her nursing program. Abril’s attraction to nursing was born of her heritage and her own family. “Only ten percent of registered nurses are Latina,” she said. “I want to represent my community, and help other Hispanic patients whose first language isn’t English to understand what’s going on with their health.” Having needed to serve as translator at her mother to appointments only strengthened this pull, Abril said: “This was the main reason I was inspired to become a registered nurse, to be there to help and care for those with similar struggles like my mom.” For the remainder of the year, Abril looks forward to finishing off her first year of college “strong,” completing her required credits for that next step: application to the Nursing Program. Even half a year in, though, her responses exude a sense of accomplishment: “I have really found a sense of community here, and I feel like I am exactly where I need to be.” To support students like Abril, please click the button below. Support Lopez Scholars