Maria Jenifer Herrera Santiago is the 2023 recipient of the Smith Family Trust Scholarship. Maria is the daughter of Prisca Santiago and Jose Herrera and the youngest on 5 siblings. Maria has been accepted to attend the University of Washington next fall and plans to major in Psychology with an eventual career as a Clinical Psychologist.
Ms. Herrera was an outstanding student and earned an impressive 3.87 GPA during her years at Sunnyside High School. When asked which teacher influenced her the most she replied "I couldn’t chose just one when so many have had an impact in my life!" Jessica Torres, Steve Urrutia, and Joyce Stark were three staff members whose names were mentioned.
The former "Miss Sunnyside" was a Class Officer, a Varsity Cheerleader and a Varsity letter winner. She also was a member of Key Club and put in over 206 hours of community service giving back to the Sunnyside community.
"I have seen families torn apart, people hurt, and people killed due to a person's poor mental health. This idea, in turn, negatively impacted their decisions and judgments. If I could, as a future clinical psychologist, help someone achieve their goals in their daily life (whether they be grand or small), why would I choose anything else?"
She calls the University of Washington her "perfect school" for her career interests. Upon graduation from SHS, she also earned an "AA Degree from participating in Running Start at Yakima Valley College. As a future certified clinical psychologist, her goal is to launch a practice in the Sunnyside area and to give back to the community she calls home.
Maria wrote in her scholarship application about her interest in her eventual chosen future career and stated she had come to understand the negative impact the lack of mental health care and resources has on a family and community. She stated, "I have seen families torn apart, people hurt, and people killed due to a person's poor mental health. This idea, in turn, negatively impacted their decisions and judgments. If I could, as a future clinical psychologist, help someone achieve their goals in their daily life (whether they be grand or small), why would I choose anything else?"
We congratulate Maria on her outstanding accomplishments and look forward to following her future success and career!
About The Smith Family Trust Scholarship
Bill and Janet Smith lived and raised their family in Sunnyside from 1981 to 2005. Mr. Smith served on the Sunnyside School Board from 1999 to 2005. Their four children graduated from Sunnyside High School. They are happy to set up a scholarship trust fund to help other Sunnyside High School graduates achieve their future goals by attaining a higher education. They look forward to giving back to a community that gave so much to their family and still means so much to them.
DONORS CAN HELP LEAVE A LEGACY TO SHS
Annual Alumni Fund Scholarships and Estate Planning adds value to the Alumni Fund's Goal and Mission! The Alumni Fund is also a "Charitable Organization" registered with the State of Washington and a recognized 501(C) 3 Non-Profit Educational Foundation by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The Alumni Fund has been able to work with SHS Alumni and other "Community Partners" in their estate planning and their family's wishes. In 2023 the Alumni Fund will award scholarships to deserving seniors on behalf of the William Smith Family Trust, the Patrick Underwood Family, The Brandsma Family, The Ralph Pistorese Family. The annual scholarship awards continues to grow for SHS graduates.
Help us leave a lasting legacy to Sunnyside High School and the Sunnyside Community! 100% of all donations support the SHS Alumni Scholarship Fund's Endowment
To contribute you can mail your donation to:
SHS Alumni Fund
PO Box 1149
Sunnyside, WA 98944
You can also donate by Credit Card by PRESSING HERE
For more information about us, please visit our website at www.SHSAlumniFund.com
Thanks for your consideration and GO GRIZZLIES!
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