CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2021
CLASS OF 2021 HIGHLIGHTS Our ROARING FORK HIGH SCHOOL seniors have achieved incredible amounts throughout this tumultuous year and they will be furthering their education and pursuing their careers throughout various parts of the United States. Many students are attending schools around Colorado, including CSU, Metro State, University of Denver, Colorado Mesa University, Colorado College, CU Boulder, University of Northern Colorado, CMC, and Colorado School of Mines, while others will travel to schools in every part of the USA like Hawai’i Pacific, California Lutheran University, Coe College, and Middlebury College.
DIEGO LOPEZ AGUILAR will enlist in the Marine Corps and serve in our country’s military. This year’s senior class earned over $133K in local scholarships and over $310K in national, regional, and state scholarships. ISABELLA KNAUS earned the Boettcher Scholarship for her active educational career that has set her aside as a “doer and difference maker.” With over 1600 applicants, the Boettcher is a competitive scholarship awarding full tuition to any Colorado college to only 42 students from the state of Colorado. JESSICA KOLLAR was a semi-finalist for the Boettcher. VANESSA LEON-GAMEZ has been elected from a highly competitive group of western state students as a representative to the Rocky Mountain Peace Jam Youth Cabinet, an organization committed to creating young leaders who commit to making positive change in themselves and society. Vanessa is also a winner of the highly-competitive Greenhouse Scholarship, which will provide her financial support as well as leadership training and mentorship. AVA LEE was a finalist for the Daniels Scholarship.
ASHLEY PARRAS earned the Horatio Alger State scholarship, a competitive scholarship that honors perseverance, integrity, and excellence. She was also a semi-finalist for the Greenhouse Scholars scholarship, along with ANA VASQUEZ IBARRA. And five of our ROARING FORK HIGH SCHOOL seniors have been selected for the DreamUS scholarship which will allow them to attend Metropolitan State University in Denver. We would like to highlight some of the CLASS OF 2021 capstone projects which demonstrate their creativity and commitment to making a difference in their community. Here are just a few: • JUDITH GONZALEZ successfully published her own book • AUSTIN VILLARREAL planned and designed a van conversion • NATASHA JEWELL raised over $10,000 for Patrick’s Place, a potential Stepping Stones center in El Jebel • TRISTAN MAKER conducted research for The Great Microplastic Survey • JUAN CORTES ZUNIGA created a Dia de los Muertos painting for the Carbondale Creative District
This senior class should be proud of themselves for the resilience they’ve demonstrated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They have shown determination and hope as they persevered through a unique senior year with change being a constant in their lives. As these seniors pioneer their way through their education and careers, they will continue to adjust to new experiences and overcome obstacles. The CLASS OF 2021 will prove to be the leaders needed for a brighter future.