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The MPW-LLM Foundation and the Pietila-Wiggs family have generated a unique process to identify and select high school seniors to award scholarships to be used towards their continued education.
This page is dedicated to those recipients.
Bonita Vista High School's 2024
$1500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Presely Alarcon, will be attending Palomar College and pursuing a career in nursing. With Presley's support, we asked if we could share a few words from the teachers who nominated her which shares a little bit of Presley's background.
Please describe a specific
Bonita Vista High School's 2024
$1500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Presely Alarcon, will be attending Palomar College and pursuing a career in nursing. With Presley's support, we asked if we could share a few words from the teachers who nominated her which shares a little bit of Presley's background.
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being inclusive. How does this student help to make others feel welcome, included, happy, and valued?
"One particular instance that exemplifies Presley's commitment to inclusivity and making others feel welcome occurred during a school lunch where new students were being introduced to the Bonita Vista High School community. Presley took it upon herself to personally greet each new student with a warm smile and a friendly conversation. She made sure to include them in the lunch group activities, ensuring they felt valued and accepted from the moment they stepped foot on campus." - Vince Gervais
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being kindhearted. How does this student treat others with kindness and compassion? What does this student do that makes others feel good about themselves?
"This is rough for me to type out, but here I go. When I met Presley - she was a new student here at Bonita. I actually received an email (along with all of her other teachers) about Presley's medical history before her arrival. This was the first time she was attending a real school in years - she was attending school at the hospital. Presley survived cancer twice, had a liver transplant, had an ovary removed, etc. The odds of her survival looked grim. I was nervous to meet her, because I teach health science and I felt like my class might trigger PTSD. When she walked through my door - her energy was overwhelming. I literally felt like she valued every single beat of her heart. I absolutely adored her. Second semester rolled around and I had another new student in my 2nd period class and she's battling cancer right now. She's new and she felt nervous about her hair, etc. I told Presley about her and Presley stormed through the door, walked straight to the student, and said, "You're my people!" They compared cancer stories, their chemo duct scars, short hair stories - she literally made the new student feel right at home here at Bonita." - Shannon Bruce
Share FIVE words you would use to describe this student:
"Resilient, compassionate, inspiring, genuine, impactful." - Vince Gervais
"Fearless, courageous, warrior, gregarious, and athletic." - Shannon Bruce
Otay Ranch High School's 2024
$1500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Joshua Daffron, will be attending the University of California, Irvine studying public health and policy. He would like to be a Pediatrician because of his love for kids and science. He believes a pediatrician would be a prestigious job he would be proud to hav
Otay Ranch High School's 2024
$1500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Joshua Daffron, will be attending the University of California, Irvine studying public health and policy. He would like to be a Pediatrician because of his love for kids and science. He believes a pediatrician would be a prestigious job he would be proud to have.
Below are a few responses by Joshua's nominator, Coach Brad Burton:
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being authentic.
"Josh does not try to be popular. He is unique and authentic. He has strong morals and values and holds himself and those around him to a high standard. He is a willing participant in ASB activities and is isn't afraid to dress up for the dress up days and have fun as a participant or host at school assemblies. Even during difficult times, Josh never succumbed to negativity or low morale. He maintains a positive outlook and demeanor in good times and bad. I was fortunate to see Micah compete against my son, William (Granite Hills), on the high school baseball field and I know he had an impact on many lives, on and off the field. This scholarship is a prestigious award."
- Coach Brad Burton
Share FIVE words you would use to describe this student and why these words fit your nominee.
"POSITIVE, RESPECTFUL, CARING, COMPASSIONATE, LEADER
"Josh Daffron always comes to class and practice with a positive attitude. He always treats those around him, including staff, teammates, and classmates with the utmost respect. He is a caring and compassionate young man. He often helped bring his teammates up when they were down or struggling. Josh is a leader, a powerful, positive presence. He played through injury and when he was unable to physically compete, he was up on the sideline, cheering his replacement and other teammates on." - Coach Brad Burton
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being inclusive.
"Josh was an inspirational leader for the football team. He played a large roll in our big-brother program, where older players took freshmen football players under their wing. He supports students of all backgrounds in his roll in ASB and as a team captain." - Coach Brad Burton
Eastlake High School's 2023
$1500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Ashley Segat, is attending the University of California, Santa Barbara and is majoring in Political Science.
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being inclusive.
"She works tirelessly to pro
Eastlake High School's 2023
$1500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Ashley Segat, is attending the University of California, Santa Barbara and is majoring in Political Science.
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being inclusive.
"She works tirelessly to promote inclusion opportunities for students with special needs. As a leader with the Titan Buddies, she has consistently assisted with Special Olympics and school events to celebrate students with special needs. She is currently organizing a prom event for our mod/severe programs that invites general education students to be involved as chaperones and ambassadors." - Dr. Cooke, 2023 EHS Principal
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being kindhearted.
"Ashley has a sister who is in the mod/sever program and I have seen on numerous occasions volunteer her time to assist this class with accessing school events. She gives freely of her time to assist with small birthday parties, field trips and special olympics. She consistently challenges me to be a better advocate for students with special needs and helps me promote special opportunities. She helped advocate for a special needs bathroom that is only available for them. She believed they needed more privacy and appropriate space." - Dr. Cooke, 2023 EHS Principal
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being authentic.
"Ashley is self-confident, a go-getter, and authentic. She doesn't just talk about what improvements should and could be made, she actually puts it into action. She has a very strong sense of self and believes she can make a difference." - Elisa Cacho, Eastlake High School, IA
Bonita Vista High School's 2023
$1500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Kassidy Wakefield, is attending the Southwestern College and is studying General Education.
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being inclusive.
"I'll explain the latest - because there a
Bonita Vista High School's 2023
$1500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Kassidy Wakefield, is attending the Southwestern College and is studying General Education.
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being inclusive.
"I'll explain the latest - because there are too many examples. A student by the name of Cristina approached me - shy - asking me if I could find some fun girls she could go to the prom with because she didn't have a date nor a solid group of friends. I asked Kassidy and she immediately said - heck yes - the more the merrier! Cristina was in my classroom during nutrition break - Kass walked through the door - looked at Cristina - SMILED AND ASKED HER TO THE PROM!!!!! I legit teared up. Cristina said YES and they exchanged IG accounts and phone numbers. It was extremely heartwarming. After Cristina left - I told Kass she just changed the world and she said - no Ms. Bruce - you just changed the world. She didn't even take the credit for her kindness. LLM." - Mrs. Shannon Bruce
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being kindhearted.
Coming Soon!
Eastlake High School's 2023
$500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Maisey Boldt, is attending Point Loma Nazarene University and is majoring in Kinesiology.
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being inclusive.
"I had Micah in the classroom as well as on the f
Eastlake High School's 2023
$500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Maisey Boldt, is attending Point Loma Nazarene University and is majoring in Kinesiology.
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being inclusive.
"I had Micah in the classroom as well as on the football / baseball field.. I know personally just how inclusive he was. When his team was doing well in a game and it was his time to step out and let others play he did it with the largest smile on his face. That is Maisey through and through. She is always stepping aside to let others around her shine; whether it be in the classroom, on the field or in her church. In sports medicine i have watched her get some of the highest grades on projects or tests, yet when you try to congratulate her she always says someone else deserves the recognition. She is always checking in on her classmates making sure they understand the concepts we are learning in class. In the internship aspect she goes to others and helps them with their taping or splinting techniques all while being positive and telling them how great they are and how their efforts showed. I have never once heard her speak ill of another student or athlete, let alone another teacher or coach. When others are speaking poorly she is the first to remind others that everyone has their battles and we have to be kind and support one another to make this world better and brighter.. just like Micah did." - Mrs. Courtney Creel
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being kindhearted.
"Maisey is everyone's cheerleader. It doesn't matter if she has known you for 10 minutes or 10 years; she will always be the one cheering you on and encouraging you to go after what you want in life. Maisey is the first to ask how others are doing and if they need anything, be it a hug, a shoulder to lean on or a coffee to pick them up. She can be having a hard day or week and still shows up to make others around her smile and laugh. Her smile is contagious; as she truly lights up any room she walks into. This year Maisey made the varsity volleyball team; she wasn't getting alot of playing time. Instead of complaining to me or her parents she said to me " this just means i get to be the loudest cheering girl on the bench to keep my team hyped up" it was in that moment that I knew how selfless she was. She knew she was good at volleyball but put her feelings to the side to cheer on her teammates and support them however she needed support." Mrs. Courtney Creel
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being authentic. Micah had a carefree spirit and a natural sense of who he was and how important the people around him were. How does this student demonstrate this strength of character? How is this student consistent in being a good person, no matter who is around or not?
"Authentic is a hard thing to be when you are a teenager learning who you are and where you are going in life. Maisey is truly authentic and big hearted, always making sure the people in her life know how much she cares for them and truly loves them. I will give a personal example I had with how authentic Maisey is. Distance learning is the first year I had Maisey in Sports Medicine, while on DL she would log in early every class with her camera on (almost all kids never turned their cameras on) to ask how I was and to get to know me as a person- not just a teacher. I quickly learned that she actually cared how I was doing as a person and wasn't just asking in hopes to pass time or boost her grade. We started to build a relationship which only grew stronger upon returning to the classroom. At point the second year I was teaching Maisey she walked in with a football jersey and a huge smile on her face. She looks at me and said, "I was out thrift shopping this weekend and saw this and knew it was your favorite team so I grabbed it for you, I hope you love it". Sure enough I loved it and put it on immediately which put the biggest smile on her face. She cares for others more then she cares for herself. During a challenging time in my personal life she made sure to reach out constantly and check-in even though this time was over a break. No other students have ever done this and I know she doesn't just do it with me but everyone she comes in contact with. The love is endless with her; just as it was with Micah. Both Micah and Maisey are/ were smaller people yet they have more love in their bodies than some 6'5 people would ever hope to have. If I could teach my child to be half the person these two are then I know I did a decent job raising them :)"
- Mrs. Courtney Creel
Eastlake High School's 2023
$500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Chris Saucedo, is attending Carnegie Mello University and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being inclusive.
"He literally brought my ELD class togethe
Eastlake High School's 2023
$500 "Live Like Micah" Scholarship recipient, Chris Saucedo, is attending Carnegie Mello University and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being inclusive.
"He literally brought my ELD class together, He inspired other students to not be worried about their accents, he motivated them to try out for sports on campus. He is the Captain of the tennis team here at EHS. He created a program to collect food during lunch to give to those in need. He helped students make American friends. He has become friends with his teachers. He is always smiling." - Mrs. Monica Perez-Peters
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being kindhearted.
"He was always praising kids in their work and their attempts. He would build lots of students up. He focused on the positive when giving feedback on their papers. He would invite lonely kids to each lunch with him when they were new to this country and to this school. He never excluded anyone. I have only seen this a few times in my teaching career." - Mrs. Monica Perez-Peters
Please describe a specific example where this student's actions reflected Micah's approach to life in terms of being authentic.
"Christopher is genuinely the kindest soul. He does not see color, gender, age, citizenship. He is kind always, motivating always. Even with his little brother, he is so sweet and motivating their relationship is serious brother goals. He is great with his teammates and so respected by them. I know they would all agree that he would teach you and never not share his skills. He wants the whole team to be their best. He is not jealous or worried that someone may supersede him, he wants everyone to live their best life."
- Mrs. Monica Perez-Peters
2024. Bonita Vista High School “Live Like Micah“ $1500 Scholarship Recipient, PRESLEY ALARCON!
2023 Eastlake High School “Live Like Micah” Scholarship Recipients: Chris Saucedo $500, Ashley Segat $1500, Maisey Boldt $500
2023 Bonita Vista High School “Live Like Micah” Scholarship Recipients: Isabella Gutierrez $500, Kassidy Wakefield $1500, Michael Hansen $500