With universities across the country set to open dorm rooms in the coming days, a group of 10 students from Truckee and North Tahoe High schools have garnered a little more financial support to further their studies.

The Martis Camp Foundation has donated $282,500 in scholarships to freshman heading off to college this fall, awarding local students who have excelled in academics, extracurricular activities, and leadership skills.

“It’s really going to help me and my family with the burden of college expenses,” said Truckee High School alumna Carly Davis. “I’m just really appreciative to receive it.”

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Davis was one of two students, along with Karina Solis, to receive $30,000 via the Changemaker Scholarship from Martis Camp Foundation.

The $30,000 Changemaker Scholarship is awarded to an applicant with excellent academic achievement who demonstrates leadership, commitment to volunteering or community service, and employment. Essays were also evaluated on how the students plan to use their leadership skills to make a difference in the world.

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Davis plans to attend California Polytechnic State University, where she’ll study environmental justice. Solis is headed to Connecticut College for an eventual career in the medical field.

Another graduate of Truckee, Whitney Wingard, is headed to the University of New Hampshire with $20,000 from the Denise Martinez Scholarship. The scholarship honors the legacy of Martinez, a golf professional, who exemplified hard work, fair play, kindness, and integrity.

“I didn’t personally know Denise Martinez, but my oldest brother worked there when she was a pro, and talked about her all the time and told me what a great woman she was,” said Wingard. “The fact that I was able to get that scholarship meant so much to me because of the person she was.”

Truckee High School’s Emma Purdy also received the Denise Martinez Scholarship, and plans on attending Pepperdine University to study health and nutrition.

The $44,000 Martis Camp Foundation Committed Scholarship, which is specified for a first-generation college student with a desire to return to the Truckee-Tahoe area to give back to the community, went to Truckee’s Tony Mora-Garcilazo, who will be studying engineering at the University of Southern California.

STEPPING STONE

The Stepping Stone Scholarship was created through an anonymous donor family who specifically wanted to recognize the demonstrated leadership roles of first-generation college students or those from enlisted military families. This year’s awardees received additional scholarship money from other sources, and the foundation will fill in the remaining need.

Madeline Hopwood, from North Tahoe High School, was awarded $47,900 and will be studying at the University of California, Davis, with an eye toward becoming an aeromedical Blackhawk trauma surgeon with the Army.

Jacqueline Garcia, a Truckee High School student, received $30,600, and is heading to the University of California, Los Angeles, to pursue a career in health care.

The $20,000 Ambition Scholarship provides assistance to students who demonstrate a desire and ability to make something of themselves. This year’s awards went to three Truckee High school graduates. Stephanie Sarabia, who distinguished herself from other applicants with her desire to help address lack of housing in the Truckee area, will be studying at University of California, Riverside.

Alan Cardenas, who will study engineering at the University of Southern California, stood out for his leadership qualities and his mentoring history. The final Ambition award went to Lola Tieslau, who earned real life experience working with her dad. She will pursue a degree in civil engineering at University of California, Berkeley.

Nearly 200 students applied for scholarships from Martis Camp Foundation. Awards were also based on financial need.

“These scholarship students set themselves apart through excellent academic credentials, demonstrated leadership skills and their contributions to the community,” said Kristin Abbott, chair of the Martis Camp Foundation scholarship committee. “It is difficult to choose from among so many qualified individuals, but the generosity of the Tahoe-Truckee region is astonishing and together we are able to give many young people the boost they need to pay for college.”

Justin Scacco is a reporter for the Sierra Sun. Contact him at jscacco@sierrasun.com or 530-550-2643