MEFIYI Scholarships awarded

The sixth annual Molly Youth Awards Banquet presented by Greater Nevada Credit Union celebrated the excellence of 40 Douglas County student-athletes at Genoa Lakes Golf Club on May 10.

Student-athletes were honored for their combined excellence in the areas of athletic participation, academic commitment and community service. The Molly Youth Awards are organized by the MEFIYI Foundation. MEFIYI stands for Me-for Incredible-Youth, Inc. and was started in 1997 by JoJo and Suzi Townsell.

The highlights of this year's banquet included the national anthem sung by our entire audience of 160 and a dance performance by Douglas High School seniors Kim Lowe and Megan Hellwinkel, who will be attending UNLV.

A tribute of each award winner was presented and developed by MEFIYI trustee Mike McLaughlin of RAMAC Industries. Douglas High School juniors Mia Townsell and Maddy Gilbert co-hosted the event. MEFIYI is proud to organize an event where our local student-athletes' talents, abilities, ambitions and how they serve our community are recognized.

This year's event awarded two $1,000 scholarships and three $500 college scholarships for outstanding senior student athletes. These scholarships were made possible by Greater Nevada Credit Union and Big George Ventures, LLC.

The $1,000 college scholarships were awarded to Jamie Lundergreen and Edgar Arceo. Lundergreen will be attending Boise St. University and Arceo will enroll at Oberlin College and play soccer. The three $500 scholarships were awarded to Jourdan Burke, Walker Higgins and Rebecca Trute who will all be attending UNR.

MEFIYI is honored that Greater Nevada Credit Union agreed to become title sponsor of this year's event for the fourth year.

The Molly Awards Banquet and 2010 MEFIYI programs are supported by grants from Big George Ventures, LLC., NFL Charities, The E.L. Cord Foundation, Robert R. Banks Foundation, Professional Athletes Foundation and Robert Z. Hawkins Foundation. MEFIYI also wants to thank The Record-Courier, Carson Valley Accounting, Genoa Lakes Golf Club, RAMAC Industries and Brewery Arts Center for their support.

Special thoughts are with former Douglas County School District Members, George and Josie Graham, who inspired MEFIYI to create this event. This event honors the memory of Douglas High School Student-athlete Molly Lahlum.

Molly Award honorees were:

Haley von Schottenstein, Douglas High School

Kaycee Battcher, Scarselli Elementary School

Rebecca Trute, Douglas High School

Gabriella Tracy, George Whittell High School

Connor Lyons, Carson Valley Middle School

Lindsey Adams, Pau Wa Lu Middle School

Jourdan Burke, Douglas High School

Jessica Vega, Douglas High School

Walker Higgins, Douglas High School

Jacob Wartgow, Carson Valley Middle School

Holly Brown, Gardnerville Elementary School

Sierra Stulac, Sierra Lutheran High School

Natalie Freitas, Douglas High School

Amelia Ritger, Douglas High School

Katrina Morgan, Douglas High School

Christine DuPuis, Douglas High School

Edgar Arceo, Douglas High School

Katie Dry, Douglas High School

Nicole Rowe, Gardnerville Elementary School

Kelsey Carlson, Pinon Hills Elementary School

Cesarina Ceglia, Douglas High School

Jace Hart, Minden Elementary School

Beau Battista, Douglas High School

Keely Latham, Douglas High School

Jonah O'Connor, Gardnerville Elementary School

Jacqueline Harper, Douglas High School

Lara Brown, Pau Wa Lu Middle School

Jamie Lundergreen, Douglas High School

Amanda Wartgow, Douglas High School

Jessa Gansberg, Carson Valley Middle School

Illiana Brown, Pau Wa Lu Middle School

C. J. Baumgartner, Douglas High School

Nicole Koko Terada, Pau Wa Lu Middle School

Jasmyn Peterson, Douglas High School

Bailey Gansberg, Gardnerville Elementary School

Lucas Peterson, Douglas High School

Luke Houghton, Gardnerville Elementary School

Haydn Brown, Gardnerville Elementary School

Kayleigh Carlson, Pinon Hills Elementary School

Mysta Townsell, Douglas High School