June 12, 2002      Campbell, California     Since 1999



The Score

Top REACH scholarship award goes to Spurzem Del Mar's Schooler, Ibe were both nominated By   Dick Sparrer Ronnie Lott realized great fame as an All-Pro defensive back in the National Football League, and Brandi Chastain has done likewise as a women's amateur and professional soccer star. But neither were the guests of honor at a recent awards presentation held at the Hayes Mansion Conference Center in San Jose. Rather, Lott and Chastain were on hand to help honor special teenagers who have overcome great obstacles to become outstanding area high school scholar-athletes. It was the sixth annual REACH (Recognizing Excellence, Adversity, Courage and Hard work) Youth Scholarship awards breakfast, at which high school seniors who have overcome adversity in their lives are recognized. Ashley Spurzem of Monta Vista, Simcha Gold of Saratoga, Amantha Hordagoda of Fremont, Aimee Williams of Mitty, Margaret McFall of Palo Alto and James Jones of Gunderson were this year's winners of scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,000. Spurzem walked off with the top award, the $3,000 scholarship. The product of a broken home, Spurzem turned to water polo to relieve her stress following the untimely death of her mother in 1998, a victim of colon cancer. By the time she was a senior, Spurzem was Monta Vista's team captain and most valuable player and she was selected to the all-league first team. Gold was presented with a $2,750 scholarship after excelling as a swimmer for the Falcons despite facing pressures in her home life. Winning the $2,500 award was Hordagoda of Fremont, who was able to overcome an eating disorder to become an outstanding high school wrestler. Mitty's Williams, who has overcome obsessive-compulsive disorder and other personal problems, was given a $2,000 scholarship. In addition to her participation in athletics, Williams boasts a 4.0 GPA. McFall of Palo Alto earned a $1,750 scholarship. She was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 12 and was forced to wear a back brace for 12 hours a day. She went on to star in swimming and water polo while maintaining a 3.75 GPA. Gunderson's Jones found sports as an escape for an unstable home life. He starred as quarterback for the Grizzlies this past fall and has become an honor roll student. He earned a $1,500 scholarship. There were 27 students from 17 schools nominated for the REACH scholarships this year, including: Chrystle Bobb and Jorge Medina of Silver Creek; Meighan T. Weitzman, Luke Tran, Riri Patel, Dhanujini Hordagoda and Enedina Cardenas of Fremont; Gilbert Chavez, Juan Gonzalez and Angela Gomez of Overfelt; Aubrey Weger, Justin Oliver and Gold of Saratoga; John Anthony Estrada of Oak Grove; Joseph Schooler and Chinelo Evangelista Ibe of Del Mar; Christopher Allen Habr of San Jose Academy; Daniel Holtzman of Los Gatos; Jones of Gunderson; Andrew Levers of Santa Teresa; Knengi Martin of Gunn; McFall of Palo Alto; Patrick Merschdorf of Branham; Julio Navarrete of Yerba Buena; Johnson Nguyen of Mount Pleasant; Spurzem of Monta Vista; and Williams of Archbishop Mitty. The scholarships - co-sponsored by NEC Electronics, Hewlett-Packard Co., NEC Solutions America, and the San Jose Sports Authority - help to recognize "the role that sports play in helping youngsters develop self-confidence and the strength to persevere in the face of adversity," according to the Sports Authority. "Teachers, counselors and advisors were asked to nominate students who they felt matched the scholarship criteria."

Feedback, or story ideas for the Campbell Reporter?


(Close this Window to go back to our home page.)


Copyright © SVCN, LLC.     Maintained by GoGuys, Inc.