Thanks to numerous community groups, nonprofits and other entities, members of Sequim High School’s Class of 2021 are taking their next steps with some funds to help along the way.
This year’s graduating class, who will celebrate with a modified, in-person graduation on Friday, June 11, has received more than $2.6 million in scholarships, grants, tuition assistance and other academic funding as they prepare to move on to college, universities and technical schools this fall.
While some are choosing to stay close to home — at least 16 of SHS’s seniors are eyeing a start at Peninsula College in Port Angeles — at least 30 of this class’ scholarships recipients are headed to in-state colleges and universities, led by Washington State University (11), the University of Washington (10), Western Washington University (five) and Central and Eastern Washington universities (three each).
Sequim High School’s Class of 2021 has six valedictorians: Aidan Braaten, Erik Christiansen, Kensal Coudriet, Melissa Porter, Amanda Weller and Kalli Wiker.
The class’ Top 10 Percent includes the valedictorians, along with Lindsey Coffman, Madeline Dietzman, Jessica German, Elijah Gish, Enya Griffin, Emma Hines, Erik Holtrop, Braden Koch, Dustan Koch, Steven Lam, Truman Nestor, William Plasch, Ryan Porter, Irina Roybal, Abigail Schroeder and Tarrah Stipe.
Read more about the scholarship winners online in a special slidehow presentation this week that feature each senior’s photo, career and college plans, what they’ll miss about Sequim and what they’re looking forward to, the scholarships they’ve received and the scholarship donor. View the slideshow here:
Or, view the slideshow at websites for the Sequim School District (sequimschools.org), Sequim High School (shs.sequimschools.org) and SHS career center (shs.sequimschools.org/our_school/career_center).
See a full list of scholarship recipients online this week and in the June 9 edition of the Sequim Gazette.
2021 Sequim High School scholarship list
Sierra Abner — Shipley Center Scholarship $1,000; Peninsula College
Jessica Asselin-Old Chief — Andrea Gaxiola Memorial Scholarship $2,500, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,500, Clallam County Bar Association $2,000; Peninsula College
Brandon Barnett — Bill Mair Heating & Air $500, Shipley Center Scholarship $1,000, International Footprinter Association $1,000; Eastern Washington University
Audrianna Bennett — Sequim Prairie Rhododendron Grange $1,750, Soroptimist International of Sequim $2,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,500, SEF Jane Q. Miller and Gertrude Greenside Scholarship $8,000, Albert Haller Foundation $8,000, Washington College Bound Scholarship $2,000, University of Washington Seattle University Scholarship $16,000, UW Undergrad Tuition Exemption $10,672, UW Educational Grants $27,180, Washington College Grant $44,160; University of Washington
Aidan Braaten — Gonzaga University Trustee Scholarship $96,000, Magis Commitment Grant $32,844, Gonzaga Educational Grants $52,736, Washington College Bound Scholarship $8,660, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $5,000, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church $3,000, Sequim VFW Post 4760 $1,000, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Academic Scholarship $1,600, SEF James J. Halloran Memorial Scholarship $2,000; Gonzaga University
Eleanor Byrne — Sequim VFW 4760 Tony Juliano Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Klahhane Hiking Club $250; Western Washington University
Mirella Chavarin — Sequim VFW 4760 Tony Juliano Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Experience WSU Tuition Award $1,000, Washington State University Educational Grants $26,380, Washington College Grant $42,940, WA State College Bound Scholarship $2,000, Washington State University
Aleah Chen — Washington State University Achievement Award $16,000, Experience WSU Tuition Award $1,000, Rick Kaps Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Shipley Center Scholarship $1,000; Washington State University
Erik Christiansen — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,500, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, Whitworth University Visit Scholarship $1,000, Whitworth Educational Grants $28,800, Whitworth University Academic Scholarship $97,600; Whitworth University
Greta Christianson — Sequim Association of Realtors Kathy Larsen Memorial Scholarship $5,700, Mansfield Scholarship $1,000, Sequim Valley Lions $500; Peninsula College
Lindsey Coffman — Sequim Irrigation Festival Royalty $1,250, Sequim Association of Realtors Scholarship $1,500, Clallam County Bar Association $2,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,500, WSU University Achievement Waiver $4,000, WSU Educational Grants $14,296; Washington State University
Kensal Coudriet — Jeff Caterina Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500; University of Nevada-Reno
Claire Cronin — Bill Mair Heating & Air $500, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $6,000; Peninsula College
Kate D’Amico — University of Montana WUE Scholarship $68,312; University of Montana
Madeline Dietzman — Western Washington U Merit Award $3,000, WWU Educational Grants $2,538, Sequim Association of Realtors Scholarship $1,500, Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club $3,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $5,000, Sunland Homeowner’s Association $4,000, Washington State Fair Foundation – Fair Chance Scholarship $3,000, Monday Musicale Scholarship $2,500, Sunrise Rotary Eric and Kathy Mahnerd Academic Scholarship $1,600, Boys & Girls Club Karen Byrd Memorial Scholarship $1,500, Sequim Elks Lodge 2642 $1,000, Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite Scholarship $1,000, SEF Film Festival Scholarship $500; Western Washington University
Coral Disinski — St. Joseph’s Catholic Church $750, WSU Educational Grants $52,320; Washington State University
Eislynn Flood — SEF Woodward P. Ward Fund $2,000, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500; University of Washington
Isabel Frutos — SEF Engineering Challenge Scholarship $500; Peninsula College
Abby Garcia — University of Montana WUE Scholarship $56,000, Sandy Bailey Memorial Scholarship $750; Montana State University
Jessica German — SEA Future Educator Scholarship $500, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $6,000; Peninsula College
Eli Gish — Sequim Association of Realtors Scholarship $1,500, SHS Honor Society Scholarship $500, Corban University Dean’s Scholarship $48,000, Corban University Men’s Soccer Scholarship $16,000; Corban University
Joe Grasser — Bill Mair Heating & Air $500, Lincoln Park BMX Scholarship $500, Lyons Vocational Scholarship $1,000, Sequim Prairie Nights Vocational Scholarship $1,000, Shipley Center Scholarship $1,000, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, Sequim Schools Alumni Association $1,500; Northwest Lineman College
Caylie Hammond – Neske Helen Haller PTO Scholarship $500, Seattle Pacific University Visit Scholarships $1,000, Washington College Grant $19,480, SPU Faith for the Future Scholarship $70,200, Seattle Pacific University
Olivia Hare — Lower Columbia Tuition Waiver $2,100, LCCC Athletic Scholarship $564; Lower Columbia College
McKenna Hastings — Boise State University WUE Scholarship $51,544, Fred Chan STEMM Shipley Center Scholarship $30,000, Sunland Homeowner’s Association $4,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,500, Sequim Association of Realtors Scholarship $1,500, SEF Film Festival Scholarship $1,000, Boise State University
Skye Henning — Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500; University of Washington
JoNell Hill — SEA Future Educator Scholarship $500, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500; Washington State University
Kaileigh Hingtgen — Sequim Irrigation Festival Royalty $1,000; Peninsula College
Garret Hoesel — Sequim Elks Lodge 2642 Rousch Scholarship $2,000; Washington State University
Erik Holtrop — Rowland Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite Scholarship $1,000, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, Washington State University Regents Scholar Award $16,000, Voiland College of Engineering & Architecture Dean’s Award $12,000, Experience WSU Award $1,000, $1,000; Washington State University
Rylie Hough — Fierro Family Marine Life Scholarship $1,000, FODNWR Maxwell Future of Conservation Award $1,500, WWU Admissions Merit Award $1,000; Western Washington University
Mya Janssen — PEO Chapters, EP, FY and HM $2,500, Ben and Myrtle Walkling Memorial Trust $750, Washington State College Bound Scholarship $2,000, Washington State University Educational Grants $65,520, WSU Crist Family Endowed Scholarship $2,500; Washington State University
Jayla Julmist — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $6,000, The Master’s University Educational Grant $10,984, The Master’s University Basketball Scholarship $111,800; The Master’s University
Braden Koch — Sequim Sunrise Rotary Academic Scholarship $1,600, Boys & Girls Club Maytag Dependable Leader Scholarship $1,500; University of Washington
Dustan Koch — Peninsula Tennis Club $350, Embry Riddle Aeronautical Chancellor Scholarship $62,200; Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
Zoee Kuperus — Sequim Irrigation Festival Royalty $1,000, Blue Whole Shirley Foss Memorial Scholarship $500; Peninsula College
Steven Lam — SEF Film Festival Scholarship $750, Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite Scholarship $1,000, Sequim Valley Lion’s Club $1,000, Sequim Elks Lodge 2642 $1,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,500, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $6,000, SEF Jane Q. Miller and Gertrude Greenside Scholarship $8,000; University of Washington-Seattle
Donald (Cole) Meyer — Sequim Prairie Rhododendron Grange $1,250; Central Washington University
Chloe (Cas) Morton— WWU Admissions Merit Award $10,000, WWU Educational Grants $32,048, Western Washington University Tuition Waiver $11,000, Albert Haller Foundation $8,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,500, Soroptimist International of Sequim $2,000; Western Washington University
Catherine Najera — Shipley Center Scholarship $1,000, Washington College Grant $44,160, University of Washington Educational Grants $37,852, Washington State College Bound Scholarship $2,000; University of Washington
Kaleb Needoba — Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, Sequim Elks Lodge 2642 $1,000; University of Washington
Truman Nestor — Sequim City Band $1,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $5,000, Sequim VFW Post 4760 $1,000, University of Washington Undergrad Educational Grant $24,708; University of Washington
Devyn Nordlie — Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, Tiffin University Cheer Scholarship $48,000, Tiffin University Dean’s Scholarship $40,000, Tiffin University Academic Scholarship $28,000; Tiffin University
Delaney Nucci — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $6,000, HPU International Vocal Ensemble $1,000, Hawaii Pacific University Provost Scholar $48,000; Hawai’i Pacific University
Trevin Oakes — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $6,000, Washington College Bound Scholarship $1,000, CWU Educational Grants $27,258; Central Washington University
Rebekah Parker — Clallam County Fair Royalty $1,300, Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club $3,000, Bill Mair Heating & Air $500; Peninsula College
William Plasch — Sequim City Band $1,000, Monday Musicale Scholarship $2,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,500, Ewing C Kelly Scholarship $2,500, University of Washington Educational Grants $21,180; University of Washington-Tacoma
Melissa Porter — WSU Regents Scholar Award $16,000, Future Cougars of Distinction $1,000, Research Scholars Award $2,500, Sequim Elks Lodge 2642 $1,000, Sequim City Band $1,000, SEF James J. Halloran Memorial Scholarship $2,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,500; Washington State University
Caleb Pozernick — SEA Future Educator Scholarship $500, Eastern Washington University Dean’s Scholarship $8,000; Eastern Washington University
Olivia Preston — Ben Merscher Memorial Scholarship $500, Clallam County Bar Association $2,000, Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club $3,000, Albert Haller Foundation $8,000, Hawaii Pacific University Dean’s Scholarship $40,000, HPU Educational Grants $5,000; Hawai’i Pacific University
Madisyn Rayburn — SEF Sequim Options School $1,000; Peninsula College
Colten Reed — CWU Educational Grants $59,516, Central Washington University Wildcat Grant $20,604, Washington College Bound Scholarship $2,000, Sequim Schools Alumni Association $1,500; Sequim Little League $500; Central Washington University
Jaden Rego — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $6,000, WSU Cougar Commitment Award $1,636, WSU Washington College Grant $42,940; Washington State University
Irina Roybal — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $4,000, Puget Sound Anglers Scholarship $1,000, FODNWR Maxwell Future of Conservation Award $1,500, SEF Ray and June Robinson STEM Scholarship $10,000, UC Santa Barbara Educational Grant $25,140; University of California-Santa Barbara
Bodi Sanderson — George Peabody Memorial Scholarship $2,500; Peninsula College
Abby Schroeder — Lower Columbia College Soccer Scholarship $5,500, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500; Lower Columbia College
Emma Sharp — Wright Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club $3,000; Washington State University
Peter Silliman — Fred Chan STEMM Shipley Center Scholarship $30,000, University of Portland Washington Success Award $2,000, UP Educational Grant $7,000, University of Portland Presidential Scholarship $108,000; University of Portland
Katy Simons — Sequim Pioneers Association Scholarship $1,000, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $6,000; Peninsula College
Tarrah Stipe — McDonald Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Sequim Pioneers Association Scholarship $1,000, Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club $3,000, North Arizona University Gold Tuition Scholarship $24,000; North Arizona University
Yessi Torres — Albert Haller Foundation $8,000, Shipley Center Scholarship $1,000, SEA Future Educator Scholarship $500; Peninsula College
Keri Tucker — Clallam County Junior Livestock Auction Scholarship $1,000, Siebens Family Scholarship $500; Peninsula College
Tatiana Vidals — St. Joseph’s Catholic Church $2,500, Washington College Bound Scholarship $1,000; Peninsula College
Oscar Walchenbach — SEF June Robinson Scholarship in Journalism or History $10,000; University of Washington-Seattle
Hunter Walters — Bill Mair Heating & Air $500, Sequim Chamber Howard Wood Memorial $1,000, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Vocational Scholarship $2,500; Bates Technical College
Amanda Weller — BYU Heritage Scholarship $24,000, Sequim Association of Realtors Scholarship $1,500, Boys & Girls Club Karen Byrd Memorial Scholarship $1,500, Sequim Elks Lodge 2642 $1,000, Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite Scholarship $1,000, SEF Film Festival Scholarship $500, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Jim & Agnes Williams Scholarship $2,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $4,000; Brigham Young University
Kalli Wiker — George Fox University Merit Scholarship $80,000, George Fox University Educational Grant $16,640, Scholarship Summit Trail Awards $12,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $5,000, WIAA Smart Choices Scholarship $5,000, Washington State Elks Association $2,000, Sequim Elks Lodge 2642 $1,000, Sequim Association of Realtors Scholarship $1,500, Boys & Girls Club Karen Byrd Memorial Scholarship $1,500, SEF Film Festival Scholarship $1,000, Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite Scholarship $1,000, SHS Honor Society Scholarship $500, Peninsula Tennis Club $350, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church $2,500, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Jim & Agnes Williams Scholarship $2,000; George Fox University
Taig Wiker — Bob Duncan Memorial Scholarship $1,000, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $6,000, Washington State College Bound Scholarship $2,000, Eastern Washington University Dean’s Scholarship $8,000, Washington College Grant $26,776, EWU Educational Grants $30,380; Eastern Washington University
Michael Young — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $6,000, Ottawa University Arizona Football Scholarship $40,000; Ottawa University (Arizona)
Aryona Zappey — Bill Mair Heating & Air $500, Sequim VFW Post 4760 $1,000; Peninsula College
Total — $2,621,668
