2025 StanCo Distance Scholarship

 

In my effort to promote HS distance running, this year I had enough money donated to award four scholarships to StanCo runners and two scholarships to Merced County runners.

 

There were eight StanCo runners and five MerCo runners who applied. The applications were scored using a rubric that the applicants were all given. The scoring was based upon 1. the number of seasons they participated in distance running, 2. their GPA, 3. their amount of community service, 4. the letter of recommendation from the coach, and 5. their essay. Even though I am going to post an excerpt from each essay is was not the only evaluation criteria.

I won't bury the lead...the 4 StanCo winners are Alejandra Gonzalez (Hughson), Maguire Lima (Turlock), Susannah Hall (Waterford), and Maya Wolfe (Modesto). The two MerCo winners are Raquel Ochoa (Atwater) and Jeffery Mendonca (Hilmar).

I am going to share some basic info about all of the applicants and a passage from each of their essays of how distance running has positively impacted their lives. You will notice a similar themes running through many of the essays. They are being presented in alphabetical order.

 

AVA CALANDRO (Oakdale) 3.81 GPA, San Diego State, Kinesiology

..."I realized that for me running was therapy. Whatever stress I was dealing with in my daily life seemed to disappear as soon as I hit the pavement. This has been and incredible tool when navigating high school life, and all that comes with it. I will be using running far into the future as a way to deal with whatever life throws at me , and I feel grateful to my teammates and coaches for their unwavering support. We were a team on and off the course, and bonded by running in a way that I can't explain." ...

"The XC and Track teams I have been a part of for my four high school years have taught me discipline, sportsmanship, dedication, and focus. These are traits that will serve me well the rest of my educational journey, and in my life overall." ...

 

JESSE DENIZ (Merced) 4.5 GPA, Cal Poly SLO, major Animal Science

..."Throughout the past four years, no matter who's graduated or joined the distance teams, the dynamic and relationships we all share has never faltered. Running has changed me through rigorous workouts teaching me to be dedicated, motivated, and focused; but also through the environment which the people have welcomed me into and which I help continue. Distance running is a difficult sport, dedicating hours a day to a repetitive task, with practices that deprive me of my will to continue, yet my closest friends keep me anchored; through motivational speeches, the jokes and pranks we pull on one another, and the long random talks we have on every run..."

 

DIEGO GALLARDO (Patterson) 3.7 GPA, Modesto Junior College, Criminology

..."I thought that I was a runner, but I learned to be patient because I was nowhere close to the speed of the seasoned runners on the team. I had to be patient with myself as I trained hard, to not see the results as fast as I wanted them. Like one of my coaches always says, "Trust the process." I also had to learn to be patient with my team because some days one of us would be hurt or sick, and it affected out race and overall score. 

Cross Country and track are fast sports. Race day was intense, it taught me to be resilient under pressure. That morning, I arrive stressed because I do not know the terrain or if there are hills on the course. I do not know the number of competitors running against me. I have trained for this, but I do not know the outcome or how well I will perform. If I make a mistake or get stuck in the back of the pack, I must keep going." ...

 

ALEJANDRA GONZALEZ (Hughson) 4.3 GPA, UCLA, Psychobiology

..."Distance running taught me the true meaning of the word perseverance. Hard workouts in the blistering heat with no shade, workout were (sic) every step my legs screamed at me to stop. The only thing keeping me going was my mind. Learning how to break past my limits is useful to me in other areas of my life as well. Because of the perseverance I was taught through distance running, I have better mentality when it come to approaching difficult situations. Now, when faced with mentally taxing situations outside of running I know I can push through because distance running had shown me that I have the ability that I can. Running has put me in some hard mental spots, and they have made me strong."

 

SUSANNAH HALL (Waterford) 4.1 GPA, UC Santa Cruz, Biology with minor in Performing Arts

..."Distance running has helped me through heartbreak, anxiety, and all kinds of growing pains. It's taught me discipline, patience, and how to take advice. It's also where I've found connection to teammates, to my little town, and to myself."...

"I'm not the fastest shark in the ocean, but I always run back to running. Though deadlines, late-night studying, heartbreak, and healing, running reminds me I've already made it through the hardest miles life has thrown at me. I've found joy in the process, p[ride in the finish, and strength in every step, especially the ones after I fall."

 

PATRICIO KEARNEY (Orestimba) 3.4 GPA, Stanislaus State, Business Administration

"Running, a daunting yet beautiful activity that has positively changed my life for the better. Distance running has taught me countless life lessons including discipline, consistency, self-belief, and what it takes to chase my dreams. It has become my passion and my go-to when life can feel overwhelming. It has taught me to always set lofty goals, even when they don't sound achievable. It has humbled me plenty of times and has made me more humble as a man. Every run I learn more about myself, continuously seeking growth and wanting to become successful not only in the sport of running, but also in life. Additionally, distance running has made me a harder worker. I school my grades have improved each year, I work on myself personally much more, and I set goals for myself each day making sure I complete whatever task is at hand. ..."

 

MAGUIRE LIMA (Turlock) 4.61 GPA, UCLA, Global Studies/Political Science

..."I learned two important lessons. First, I cannot let others define me. Though they made me feel alone and unworthy, I had not changed. I was still smart, kind, funny, compassionate, and I'll be honest, still a bit annoying. Once I realized that and found new supportive friends my speed and love of the sport returned, which taught me one final lesson. XC and Track, like life, are individual competitions, yet I can not succeed without a great team supporting me. I'm so fortunate that I found some amazing teammates and that as I move from childhood to adulthood, I have amazing family and friends in my corner to support me. 

I will forever be a better person from all I learned running distance. I plan to continue running, and learning, as long as I can keep putting one foot in front of the other."

 

BRANDON LIWANG (Merced) 4.71 GPA, UC Berkeley, Mechanical Engineering

... "My freshman year of cross country, I was the slowest on the team, always in last during practices, and never did well during the races. I loved my teammates and the exhilaration of a good workout, but I struggled so hard in the races that everything else felt not worth it. I contemplated quitting after my freshman and sophomore years, but every year at last race of cross country season, the top eight boys and girls in the conference would stand on a podium and be awarded the knowledge that they were the fastest in the league. I would always watch and daydream that I might be up there one day..."

..."This love of running is what's driving me to attend college and run for their team. If I can't make the team the first year, I'll run for UC Berkeley's club and train until I can make it the next year, even if I'm the slowest on the team."

SOPHIA LOPES (Hilmar) 4.23 GPA, Stanislaus State, Psychology

..."I had developed an eating disorder and lost a good amount of weight, and it was hard for me to recover because I felt that my new speed was due to weighing less, not the amount of work I had put in.

..."It took racing to be taken away from me to realize how badly I was struggling. Recovery wasn't easy, but it was a necessity If I wanted to have a successful running career. I felt alone as I didn't have someone to look up to who had a similar struggle and body type like mine. I felt that I wasn't built for running. 

But I worked day in and day out to prove myself wrong. The summer going into senior year, I fuel my body, gained weight, and embraced my body for what it was instead of trying to fight it." 

..."I stopped looking to others for validation and worked to make myself proud. I wasn't a sick version of myself who felt like an imposter on every starting line anymore, I was Sophia, a strong confident runner. Running taught me how to overcome obstacles; I developed an eating disorder because I wanted  to be a better runner, but ultimately, my love for running was the thing that convinced me to fully recover from it. Running is the love of my life, and I could not afford to lose it to my unhealthy mind."

 

JEFFERY MENDONCA (Hilmar) 4.1 GPA, Cuesta College to transfer to Cal Poly SLO, Aerospace Engineering

..."Running has taught me to be mentally tough. It's one thing to train your body, but another entirely to train your mind to stay consistent. There were races where I felt like giving up halfway through, especially early on. But distance running showed me the value of pushing past discomfort. That grit now carries into everything I do--from academics to community service to the way I treat challenges in life.

Running also gave me my first real experience with leadership. As an upperclassman, I realized that the younger runners were watching me, not just how I ran, but how I carried myself. I began checking in with teammates who wanted to quit before they even started. I encouraged them to keep pushing via cheering at the top of my lungs during races, and leading warmups with purpose, and preached the importance of effort and consistency..."

"More than anything, distance running grounded me. When I entered high school, I was coming off a tough middle school experience--socially, academically, and emotionally, especially with the impact of COVID-19. Running gave me the structure that I needed."

RAQUEL OCHOA (Atwater) 4.36 GPA, UC Merced, Biology

..."One of the most significant impacts of distance running has been the relationships I've built. I've met some of my closest friends through the sport, forming bonds that are incredibly strong. The shared experiences of training and competing creates a unique camaraderie."   ..."Distance running has also instilled in me a profound sense of discipline and resilience. Each training session requires commitment and strong work ethic, often demanding early mornings and late afternoons filled with rigorous workouts. I've learned to prioritize my time, balancing academics and athletics while staying focused on my goals."

KAELIN STEVENS (Orestimba) 4.1 GPA, San Diego State, Communications

... "Running mile after mile in the sun, wind, or rain was something I had never experienced. At first it was overwhelming . My legs were tired in a way they had never been before, and I struggled to keep up. But over time, I learned to push through the discomfort. I stopped complaining about the weather or how far we had to go. I started to embrace the challenge, and that shift in mindset made me stronger both as an athlete and as a person.

The mental strength I built through running quickly translated into other parts of my life. In basketball games I stopped getting discouraged when we were down or when I was tired. I knew how to keep going even when things got tough. ...Running taught me how to stay calm, focused, and determined, even when things felt impossible." ...

 

MAYA WOLFE (Modesto) 4.68 GPA, Cornell, Biology/BioChemistry

..."I still wasn't hitting the marks I wanted. The frustration hit hard, and I faced the indescribable mental challenges and a loss of identity.

That when I shifted my mindset. I started focusing less on results and more on what I could control: my attitude, my effort, and my relationships. Rather than sulking and suffering in silence, I built new connections with runners across the county through Girls Run Modesto, allowing me rediscover the support and joy I had been missing. I realized that results, PRs, and orange LED numbers on a timing screen are short term; what will last are memories, the bonds, and the new, resilient mindset I now approach all road blocks with.

Running has tested me in every way, but it has also changed me for the better. It taught me tenacity, brought me lifelong friends, and reminded me why I fell in love with the sport in the first place."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have a few final comments. As always I was amazed by the GPAs, the glowing remarks from their coaches, and their stories (sometimes deeply personal) of how running has impacted their lives. Please notice the photo collages. I spent HOURS combing through four years of photo files searching for a photo for each year that the applicant ran. This was beyond tedious. The Merced high kids were the toughest, since have only recently added them to the long list of schools that I am now covering. 

 

The scholarship began several years ago on a whim and $500 of my own money. I still add that much each year, but the rest comes from a host of donors. I want to acknowledge those who contributed to the scholarship over the past year: Jayson Martin, Natalie Rowell, Darren Siebert, Brian Whitemyer, Scott Wejmar, Niles Carlin, the Atwater XC team, The Hughson XC team, Tara Terry, Brandy Gemperle, Kristi Hartfield, Scott Mitchell, Jungmee Kim, Melissa Lima, Jacquelyn DeLaCruz, Tracey McLeod, Emily DeLay, Monica Cook, Tricia/Carlos Campos, Carmen Kearney, Nancy Petty, Liz Mendonca, Lisa Jensen, Kevin Hamilton, Sam Gong, Jose Muniz, Debbie Kleinfelder, Nancy Powell, Fred Johnston, Tara Gisler, Paul Scheele, Nicole Swisher, Linda Benham, Karen Reeves, Shinobo Kennedy, Margo Walsh, Ursula Evans, Brent Curiel, Michelle Fahrney, Courtney Hogan, Gio Mejia's father, Chris Oliveira, Mike Woody, and Jean Stanley. These donation amounted to over $4000. Some gave hundreds and other gave a few dollars. It all adds up. If it weren't for these donors I would have been awarding only one scholarship instead of six. Those of you who are math inclined might realize that I have held over enough money to at least cover three scholarships for next year. As you can see the scholarship whim has grown to be the whole HS running community who is supporting these athletes (and not just me). I couldn't be more grateful to all of you. THANK YOU

 

Finally I would be remiss if I didn't thank my wife, Kim Durham. She is helpful and tremendously understanding when it come to all the long hours taking photos at meets, editing those photos, typing up results...As most of you know I am a teacher; but during some weeks, I spend more hours doing StanCo related activities than teaching activities. She is the one who agreed to let me begin giving a scholarship. I love her and thank you for letting me follow my vision of what this endeavor could develop into.

 

Well if you read this far maybe you deserve a medal or a StanCo shirt--LOL. 

 

If you feel moved to support next year's StanCo scholarship fund here is my VENMO info. 100% of all money that is given or donated to me goes straight into this fund.

 

As always I'll see you out on the course or the track, I'll be the one in orange and black