Our Scholarship Story

About US

The Sunnyside HS Alumni Scholarship Fund started almost thirty years ago as a class project for the SHS Class of 1972. It has now grown into a full-fledged Sunnyside High School Alumni undertaking.

The Alumni Scholarship Fund is recognized by the IRS as a

501(c)3 Education Organization. All donations are tax deductible. The Foundation is managed by a caring group of Sunnyside High School Alumni that provide oversight. The Board meets two to three times each year. Agendas are established and minutes kept. The Board of Directors have made the commitment to honor donor’s requests and to ensure that 100% of all collected funds will be deposited intact. Expenses are held to the very minimum and to this date operating expenses have been absorbed personally by the Board of Directors.

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SHS Alumni Fund - Board of Directors

The Sunnyside High School Alumni Scholarship Fund's Board of Directors meet two to three times each year to administer fundraising efforts, review scholarship applications and awards, access financials and ensure compliance with non-profit state and federal requirements.

President

Arthur Ledesma

Art, a SHS class of ’72 graduate, is one of the original founders of the Scholarship Fund. Art is currently employed as a professional fundraiser for non-profit organizations all over the U.S. and presently serves on a number of boards whose missions are to assist those in need.

Vice President

Henry Stamschror

Henry (Hank) Stamschror, from the Class of ’72, is one of the original founders of the Scholarship Fund. Hank is currently retired after spending over 40 years as the President of Sunnyside's Mountain States Construction Company responsible for a wide variety of projects in the Northwestern US and Alaska.

Secretary/Treasurer

Karst Brandsma

Karst, a SHS class of '72 graduate, is one of the original founders of the SHS Alumni Scholarship Fund. Karst's spent most of his career as an educator and school administrator. Recently retired, Karst serves as the Alumni Fund's secretary/treasurer.

Board Trustee

Tom Nelson

In 2023, Tom joined the SHS Alumni Board as a director, to represent the Class of 1967. Prior to retiring in 2019, Tom was an electrical engineer and CEO of his own company, specializing in automating municipal infrastructure.

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Board Trustee and Scholarship Chair

Pedro Marquez

Pete Marquez started the SHS Alumni Scholarship Fund. He had a dream to help SHS graduates navigate the post secondary educational roadblocks. He quickly realized that financial support was direly needed and began supporting graduates with small contributions with some out of his own pocket.

Pete is a retired educator with close to 40 years in the classroom at SHS. He is also the current SHS Head Baseball Coach.

Board Trustee and Finance Committee Member

D. James Tree

Jim Tree currently resides in the Yakima area and is a '72 SHS graduate. He attended the University of Hawaii and later BYU where he received his Juris Doctorate in 1982. Jim has been admitted to both the Utah Bar and the Washington Bar.

He previously served as a JAG officer in the U.S. Air Force as a military attorney. His current practice specializes in Social Security Disability.

Board Trustee and Scholarship Committee Member

Craig Schilperoort

Craig Schilperoort is a graduate from the Sunnyside High School Class of 1974 and has been on the Board of Directors of the Alumni Scholarship Fund since it's inception.

Craig is currently retired and resides in the Sunnyside area and has made his mark in the Yakima Valley Agriculture/ Farming Industry.

Endowment Fund Established

With the organization’s fund balance, the Foundation has established an “Endowment Fund” to ensure the SHS Alumni Fund will exist into perpetuity for SHS Grizzly graduates. The Endowment Fund set a goal several years ago to raise $100,000. With overwhelming support the Endowment is now pushing upward towards $200,000. The Board will be setting additional financial goals to ensure sustainability for the future.

The Alumni Fund was started by SHS Class President of 1972, Pedro Marquez. In the early years Mr. Marquez often donated the annual awards from his own pocket. The Scholarship Fund has grown substantially over the last 10 years. Each year the Alumni Fund has awarded 2 scholarships from the Endowment Fund to deserving graduating seniors based on their academic achievement, educational goals, community service and their school involvement. Applicants fill out a Scholarship Packet and a Committee reviews them and makes a recommendation to the Board. The financial award is designed to assist awardees in meeting their post-secondary educational goals. The Board follows up with selected recipients each winter in December to check in and see how their educational plans are going.

Calling All Alumni

To all Alumni of Sunnyside High School, we need your continued help and support to keep this project moving forward.

Please consider donating to the Sunnyside High School Alumni Scholarship Fund.

Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/72scholarship/

Thank you for your consideration and GO GRIZZLIES!

“The tassel is worth the hassle.”—Anonymous

Our Mission

Our Mission is to raise funds from Sunnyside High School Alumni, the Sunnyside Greater Community and Local Businesses along with School District Staff to award up to two (2) Scholarships each year and present them to deserving seniors. The scholarship will assist the honorees to meet their post-secondary educational goals! Excess collected funds will be managed in an "Endowment Fund" to continue our organization's efforts into perpetuity.

Our Mission

Our Vision

That the impact of Sunnyside High School has enabled it's graduates to succeed in the community, the nation and in life!

Vision

We Need Your Support Today!

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