The task of selecting the scholarship recipients is both the most exciting and the most stressful StanCo task of the year. Due to many generous donations, adding up to over $2000, I am able to award four $500 scholarships (3 within Stanislaus County and one from neighboring counties). I had thirteen applicants from within the County and four from outside the County.
The process started with me sending the application and information to all of the distance coaches. I also posted the info on Facebook and Instagram (multiple times). The athletes could either get the application from their coach or could message me to get it. As you might suspect they all get turned in at the last minute. I personally read every application packet (more than once). There is a scoring rubric that I use for the application. The categories include GPA, number of seasons running, leadership qualities addressed in the coach's LOR, and amount of community service. The runners also write an essay explaining how "distance running has positively impacted your life." There are two categories on the rubric to address the essay: 1. how well they answer the prompt and 2. the degree of "heart or personalization" in their story. So I score all of the packets and narrow the field considerably. Then I give the top scoring applications to a teacher friend of mine to read through so I can get another opinion. She and I discuss those top applications, and I then make the final decision.
You might be asking why I am going into such detail about the process...I want everyone to understand that I take the whole selection process very seriously AND (even though I am sharing a piece of their essays with you) that the essay is only a piece of the overall score. Enough about all of that.
So last year there was confusion over who actually won so I won't bury the lead this year...the three within County winners are Cailin Kelley (Hughson), Jackson Olsen (Beyer), and Shakty Artea (Orestimba). The one outside of County winner is Cristain Lucatero (Livingston)!!
I do appreciate all of the applicants so I want to honor each one by sharing a bit of their information, an excerpt from each of their essays relating to how running has positively impacted their lives, and what their college plans are. Some I typed more and others less. The purpose was to give the readers a taste of what running meant to each applicant. I think you will be impressed with all of the applicants, I was. Also there were many reoccurring themes in the essays (family, confidence, resiliency, discipline, belonging, mental health...and COVID. This will be the last group of runners who had COVID impact their HS experience). I have retyped portions exactly as they were turned into me. First I will summarize the winners:
SHAKTY ARTEA (Orestimba)--competed all four years of both track and XC. Her GPA is 4.304. She has applied to Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and UCLA as a Civil Engineering major.
"...I could tell that I was not the only one affected by the heat. All of the girls at the start had dreadful expressions on their faces. Before the starting gun was fired, the girl next to me said "You got this. Good luck."
It has been seven years hence, yet the words of encouragement remain in my mind. At that moment, the words felt like a rush of a relaxing breeze. In five words, it displayed more than respect. There was a wish for my success, and trust that I could do my best. Her sincereness and good sportsmanship made people experience the feeling of being embraced and of belonging. Sportsmanship is the sensation of being who you are, without the opinion of others dulling your capabilities and performance. While running requires the act of showing respect to competitors, it is also the deed touching the spirit. ..
... After all that I have learned from Cross Country and Track, the bottom line is this: distance running has shaped me into the supportive person I am today."
CAILIN KELLEY (Hughson)--competed all four years in both track and XC. She has a GPA of 4.25. She has been accepted to UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Cal Poly SLO. Her intended major is Biomedical Engineering.
"Distance running has made me a happier, healthier, and stronger person inside and out. Running let me cope with the struggles of life, shaped who I am as a person, and trained me to become mentally disciplined both on and off the course. Running taught me to not give up because the reward is worth it in the end. Running is both my journey and destination, and after the influence it has had on my life, I wouldn't have it any other way.
...I would tell people for the first two years of doing XC that I hated running, loved my teammates. As I had more injuries and anemia-induced setbacks, however, I realized that running was one of my greatest joys in life. Out-kicking someone at the end of a race, reaching a new Personal Record, and just knowing that I helped my team win was something that I never wanted to give up. When that was stripped from me for seven weeks to heal, my mental health tanked, my motivation for school dropped, and I could not talk about it because I was stuck inside on a stationary bicycle while my confidants were out getting mileage on the roads.
But if running taught me nothing else, it taught me resilience. I trained and worked and healed until I was finally back to running full races again, my teammates encouraging me until I finally saved my season. .."
CRISTIAN LUCATERO (Livingston)--competed all four years of both track and XC. His GPA is 4.33 and he wants to major in Nursing at CSU Stanislaus.
... "Cross Country and Track have allowed me to be my best self by fostering discipline, perseverance, and teamwork. Discipline has taught me how to have structure and routine, while perseverance has taught me to stay committed to my goals even if there are roadblocks. Teamwork is the most important and it has taught me to listen to others' diverse perspectives and effective communication.
The sport has also taught me valuable lessons in resilience and mental toughness. Running is as much a mental battle as it is physical, requiring mental fortitude to push through moments of doubt, fatigue, and pain. Enduring grueling workouts and pushing through mental barriers during races has strengthened my resilience and taught me to stay resilient in adversity. I've learned to embrace discomfort, knowing growth and improvement often come from pushing beyond perceived limits. ..."
JACKSON OLSEN (Beyer)--competed all four years of both track and XC. His GPA is 4.58 and he is going to San Diego State as a Mechanical Engineering major.
"...At first, running felt like a chore. I didn't train often and I just showed up to meets expecting myself, by some miracle, to improve. It wasn't until my sophomore year of high school that I realized if I wanted to be great, I needed to work at it. As I began to work harder, my times improved. I began to notice this mindset carrying over into my everyday life. As I applied it to school and learning, everything began to work. The "hard work" mindset I developed is what I consider to be the main contributor to my success in school. Without running, I'm not sure I would be where I am today.
Not only did I notice a pattern of success in my academic life, but also an improvement in my mental health. The further I get into life, I begin to notice ho important mental health is. For me, running has been a great way to stay mentally healthy and strong. Training offers a break from reality, allowing runners like me to take a break from personal issues and relax.
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These are the rest of the applicants (in alphabetical order). They are a very impressive group as you will read:
RAMIRO BELTRAN-PELAYO (Orestimba)--competed all four years of both track and XC. He has a 4.304 GPA and has applied to Notre Dame, Cal Poly SLO, and USC as a Civil Engineering major.
"...The first changes arrived in the social ambit. The people who participated in cross country were the most diverse I had ever interacted with, individuals who took multiple advanced classes, people who had manual jobs after school, and folk who were trying to start in both of the former. . The difference in ideals and experiences taught me not to judge other based on how they looked, their past, or their personality. Instead, it was better to value them based on the precious life lessons they offered. The time spent running also left me alone with my thoughts. I had long discussions on what I was doing right and what needed improvement. These self-therapy sessions served better than any one-on-one talk could have, developing in me an appreciation for the sport. I am still not the best runner by a mile, even with all of the hard work I put in, but what I am proud of is being able to find joy something that I once loathed. ...
ANNA BRASIL (Atwater)--competed all four years of both track and XC. She has a 3.83 GPA and wants to major in Animal Science at either UC Davis, UC San Diego, or CSU Stanislaus.
...Running has not only tested me physically, but mentally as well. After having a successful sophomore year, I suddenly felt the weight of the pressure on my shoulders, telling me that I needed to constantly chase improvement. I went from pushing myself because I knew that I could give my all and creating this anxiety giving into the pressure. During my junior year every race I would find myself in an isolated mind space where I felt that I would do bad and make myself as well as the coaches disappointed. ... My coaches though that it would be best to get checked with doctors. ...my blood analysis came back I was anemic. I am now taking iron supplements and feel such an improvement in my health and stronger than I did last year. Cross country made me realize that it isn't truly as individualized a sport as others may see it as, it is a community. It is where I know I can lean on my teammates and coaches in my time of need.
DEVIN FITZPATRICK (Ripon)--competed all four years of track and three years of XC. He has a 4.47 GPA and plans to major in Economics at UC Berkeley.
"...Distance running has left a profound effect on my character. It's given me a safe place where I am allowed to be myself, taught me leadership skills, gave me greater discipline and work ethic than I'd ever possessed, and gave me the greatest passion I have, to run. I've come to love this sport and wish I found it earlier, but I am grateful for my journey..."
JENESSA GONZALEZ (Orestimba)--competed two years of both track and XC. She has a 3.873 GPA . She intends to go to Modesto Junior College and eventually major in Liberal Studies and Equine Studies.
"...Training for long distance races requires consistency and commitment. While training, I have had days where I do not feel like running, but still go outside and practice anyway. Running also extends to other areas of life like relationships, personal goals, and communication. It has been an outlet I can escape to when I need to relieve stress and clear my mind. There's something meditative about it, the sound of my feet hitting the ground, or the air hitting your face as you speed up and find your pace. It allows me to focus on my breathing verses the pressures of everyday life. It allows me to enter a state of mind where I feel free.
Running has brought me into a community of devoted individuals just like myself. People who share my passion for running. Going to races and meeting people is a great feeling. Engaging with people at cross country meets always seems to provide motivation for me. The other runners are super uplifting even though it's a competitive sport and contributes to my performance each race. It has helped me step out of my comfort zone and push my limits to the max of my ability. Running for long periods of time makes cross the finish line exhilarating..."
GUADALUPE GRANADOS MEJIA (Hilmar)--She competed in three years of track and two years of XC. She has a GPA of 4.065. She intends to go to UC Davis as a Animal Science major.
"Running saved my life. When I decided to join Hilmar's track team my sophomore year I was at a very low point in my life. I was unhappy with life and myself. Track was the very first sport I had ever done. But after one single practice, I was in love. How? I have no clue. My body hurt in so many ways the next morning. All I know is after that first practice, there was a genuine smile on my face, and I felt excited to come back the next day.
Running brought me inner peace and happiness. It has allowed me to witness some beautiful sunsets and sunrises, it gave me a sense of belonging to a team that has felt like family, but most of all it helped me love myself. I was always the skinny one out of the family and constantly hearing people's body-shaming comments toward me was hard; it made me hate myself. But when I discovered running, things changed. .."
JACKSON HALL (Turlock)--competed two years of XC and three years of track but one year he wasn't a distance runner. He has a 4.3 GPA. He plans to attend CSU Stanislaus as an Economics or Business Administration major.
"...I figured out that all it took top be great at something was a little bit of hard work, and passion. I was tired of being the worst runner on the team. I began giving the runs everything I had, and taking them very seriously. I started to take track practice very seriously as well. Pretty soon, my mile time went from a 5:57 to a 4:50 in a matter of two months. My 3200 time went from above thirteen minutes at the beginning of the year, all the way down to a 10:22. All because I saw what it took to improve.
Now that I am in my final year of high school and track and field, I can look in retrospect how big of a blessing distance running was for me. What started as a way to hangout with my friends, sprouted into my biggest passions. It changed my lack of care for things into the need to be the best I can be in every aspect of my life, big or small. Distance running made me an incredibly dedicated and motivated person. It brought out this whole new side of me, that being and incredibly competitive, and hardworking side. I believe that distance running really set me up to have a better mindset in life, when it comes to my future career and family."
DOMINICK HAUPT (Hughson)--competed all four years of both track and XC. He has a 4.09 GPA and intends to go to BYU but is undecided about his major.
"...The most critical way distance running has been an advantage in my life is the self-discipline it has instilled in me. Whether it is continuing to train while on vacation in Europe or waking up at 4 a.m. because that is the only time I have in the day to work out, being able to disciple myself related to running has also helped me discipline myself in other areas of my life. For example, while continually training, I have balanced a busy schedule of challenging classes, part-time jobs, church involvement, and a social life. Another instance of disciplining myself is my diet, late in my junior year cross-country season I decided to abstain from desserts, sweets, and sodas. After seeing the effects of this simple decision, I decided to maintain it and I continue to adhere to this code today..."
JAYDEN JIMENEZ (Turlock)--competed all four years of both track and XC. She has a GPA of 3.65 and will be attending CSU Stanislaus as either a Computer Science or Kinesiology major.
"...I have never in my life felt so meant to be in a place as much as I do when I am with my distance family. They say Cross Country is the sport that all weird kids tend to do and I completely agree with that stereotype, because weird kids are the ones who can come up with the most random, hilarious, sometimes gross topics to talk about everyday on runs and they are the ones who can make eachother laugh even during the most toughest of workouts. It takes a special kind of person to run distance and those people are my people. ..."
JOAQUIN MORENO (Gregori)--competed all four years of both track and XC. He has a GPA of 4.72 and wants to be an International Relations or Biochemistry major at UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, or USC.
"...In team sports, like baseball, shirking accountability can be done with ease. Blaming a bad game on conditions, team errors, or necessary equipment is much simpler than owning up to a mistake. Running does not permit this. You are either prepared for the race of not, and, even in cross country, there is no hiding a bad race behind a veil of white lies. Running forced me to learn how to be accountable. for my errors. I am a problem solver by nature, but, to be able to solve a problem, the problem must be recognized which is exactly what accountability has allowed me to do.
Running brought consistence into my life. Through the changes during the COVID shutdown, through stressful night of Mock Trial competitions, and through crazy summer breaks, running stayed the same. I could rely on am runs every summer morning to start my day or the 3:30pm runs to blow off steam from the school day. .."
TONATIUH RAMIREZ (Pitman)--competed three years of both track and XC. He has a 3.89 GPA and wants to major in Computer Science at CSU Stanislaus.
"Distance running has positively changed my life in many ways. I was diagnosed with severe autism, sensory overload and language impairment at the age of three years old and nine months. Before I joined cross country and track I had many challenges. Distance running has helped me manage the challenges I face everyday like social anxiety and sensory sensitivity. It also helps me recharge and calm my brain down. I noticed a difference in my sensory regulation, anxiety reduction, self regulation and focus and also it helps my moods and emotions. For me running has helped me flourish as a person. Distance running helps me have discipline by having training regimes, maintaining my physical fitness and performing well in competitions. It also helps me manage my time to stay focused and organized..."
JADEN ROTHSTEIN (Central Catholic)--competed one year of track and three years of XC. His GPA is 4.57. He intends to major in Civil Engineering at Cal Poly SLO.
"...Not only has distance running improved my physical fitness but it's also improved my mental health. During the pandemic, when schools were shuttered, cross-country practice was the only time that I got to meet and connect with other people in person. To this day, If I am feeling anxious, overwhelmed or even frustrated, running gives me the opportunity to clear my mind."
MADELINE VAN STEENWYK (Pitman)-- competed all four years of both track and XC, but was injured for all of her senior track season. She has a 4.7 GPA and is planning of majoring in Kinesiology at San Diego State.
"...Distance running has influenced my life by helping me make a new friend group in high school and allow me to feel more comfortable at a new school. During freshman year, when it was COVID, not many sports had started, so I decided to join cross country in hope of meeting more people. Not only did I meet more people, distance running has helped me build most of the relationships I have at school. The people on the cross country team and not just a team, but a family. We all support each other through each season and injury. ..."
FABIAN VIGIL-VILLAGOMEZ (Riverbank)--competed two years of track and XC. He has a GPA of 3.29 and would like to major in Mathematics teaching at UC Davis, UC Merced, or CSU Stanislaus.
"...Being part of the cross-country team offered a sense of community and familiarity that had been missing since my move. Through training and competitions, I developed deep connections with my teammates and coaches, who provided support, encouragement and a sense of belonging. These relationships were really important in improving my communication and social skills, areas in which I had felt behind due to language barriers.
Perhaps most significantly, distance running has played a crucial role in my mental health. The discipline and focus required for running provided a therapeutic outlet for stress, showing a sense of clarity and purpose. This, combined with the support of my family and the sense of familiarity within my team, has been instrumental in my recovery from an eating disorder I experienced in my early years of highschool. The physical and mental strength gained through running has guided me through new challenges and obstacles. .."
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Wow if you read this far you are a true fan of local distance running, I salute you. This blog post, including searching for the photos of the runners, creating the collages, and retyping the essay passages easily took over 70 hours (yes you read that correctly). I believe that these athletes are worth my time. If you feel the same way you might want to contribute to next year's scholarships. As I have stated before, I will pay for one $500 scholarship myself every year. Every penny that I am given in cash, venmo, zelle, gift card I will put directly into other scholarships. So if you are feeling generous here is my Venmo info:
A special thank you to The Rowell Family, Lisa Rutland, The Logsdon Family, The Olsen Family, The Fitzpatrick Family, The Oliveira Family, and Tracy Webb for their generous personal donations that helped fund the three additional scholarships this year. Finally thank you to my long time friend and HS running mate Michael Woody who funded 1.5 of these scholarships.
As always, I'll see you out on the course and the track, I'll be the one in orange and black.
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