Templeton, Shandon students receive awards

Atascadero News photo courtesy of SLOCCF • From left, Benton Lowerison, Owen Sebo and Letisia Munoz stand with San Luis Obispo County District 1 Supervisor Frank Mecham after being presented with the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation’s Richard J. Weyhrich Leadership Scholarship. Lowerison will attend the University of Notre Dame, Sebo will attend Cal Poly and Muniz will attend Cuesta College.

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Representing 10 high schools in the county, this year’s 14 recipients of the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation’s Richard J. Weyhrich Leadership Scholarship are a diverse mix of deserving high school seniors who demonstrate strong leadership abilities and a desire to serve their communities.

Recipients have been awarded a scholarship in the amount of $1,600 to be used toward expenses for their first year of college.

Among this year’s recipients are student council presidents, drum majors and scholar athletes, performing arts and martial arts participants, and volunteers for various community organizations such as Special Olympics, Salvation Army, hospitals, animal shelters and libraries.

Letisia A. Muniz from Shandon High School as well as Benton M. Lowerison and Owen S. Sebo of Templeton High School are among this year’s scholarship recipients.

Other recipients are: Natalie G. Hagler (Arroyo Grande High); Allen L. Bailey and Stephanie A. Tonegato (Atascadero High); Ian M. Cocroft (Coast Union High); Hyun Joo Ha and Scarlett E. Harris (Mission College Preparatory High); Madhuri Pancha (Morro Bay High); Anson J. Castillo and Jenna A. MacCarley (Nipomo High); Kylie A. Bergquist (North County Christian School); Dustin W. Weir (San Luis Obispo High).

The students were honored at a presentation during the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors meeting in May. Speaking at the event, Board President Dee Lacey said, “It’s always important when someone has entrusted you with an endowment to remember them, and so we are here today to honor Mr. Weyhrich’s driving passion — to identify and reward young leaders.”

Weyhrich was a West Point graduate and served in the Korean War. After retiring from the military, he received his MBA from Pepperdine University and established a successful financial consulting business. Weyhrich passed away in 2002, but his legacy lives on through this countywide competitive scholarship.

Through the vision and guidance of the original founding members in 1998, SLOCCF has raised the impact of charitable giving to new heights in SLO County. In only 14 years, SLOCCF has granted more than $17 million to benefit our communities, with more than $1 million supporting more than 600 scholarships to deserving high school students.

For more information about SLOCCF or any of its funds, call 543-2323 or go to www.sloccf.org.