Zonta presents scholarships to local students
Zonta Club of Porterville recognizes that the Class of 2020 will not enjoy many Senior moments due to Covid-19. Fortunately, Zonta Club of Porterville is pleased to award three $1,000 awards to deserving women from our high schools and Porterville College.
Yaquelin Villasenor Robles from Granite Hills High School was named the recipient of the Young Women in Public Affairs Award. The goal of the YWPA Award is to encourage young women to participate in public affairs by recognizing commitment to the volunteer sector, evidence of volunteer leadership achievements and a dedication to the empowerment of women. Yaquelin comes from a Mexican family of great humility and hard work. Yaquelin is the absolute perfect combination of maturity, intellect and compassion. She has a GPA of 4.25 and has received numerous awards while participating in Varsity Soccer, Community Service Officer for Z-club, MECHA, Rotary Interact and others. She says she values community service because of the smiles on children’s faces at parties for Shelter families and for the “thank you’s” from people when she helps to clean sidewalks on Clean-up days. Her goal is in Biomedical Sciences and her desire is to see more women in government positions of power.
Mari Sanders of Monache High School was chosen as the recipient of the Community Service which recognizes those who provide mutual support and fellowship for members who serve their communities, their nations and the world. Mari’s various activities include assisting with the Military
Banner Program, Porterville Senior Dinner, Ribbon Cutting of the South County Detention Facility which focuses on rehabilitation, Veterans Golf Tournament, Sierra View Hospital Awards Gala, Relay for Life (especially since her mother is a cancer survivor), Special Friends Day at the Fair, Porterville Celebrates Reading, Monache Campus Clean-up, and CSF Canned Food Drive. Her 4.28 weighted GPA includes 12 Advanced Placement classes in addition to taking 18 units with a 4.0 GPA at Porterville College.
Suzanne Degroot graduated from high school in 1984. A 4 th generation farmer, she raised 4 sons and when the last went on the college, she returned to college with a goal to earn a double major in communication and ag business. She is known for honesty, dependability and common sense and wants to expand her potential and purpose. Her devotion to community projects over the years proves she has experience but has not lost her wonder. Returning to school in the Spring of 2019, has taken 25 total units and maintained a 4.0 GPA. She is the recipient of Zonta Club of Porterville’s Porterville College Award recognizing a woman who has returned to further her education after a prolonged absence.
Each of the three women received an unrestricted award of $1,000. Zonta Club of Porterville was chartered in 1948 providing over 62 years of service to Porterville. Zonta is a major donor to the Central California Family Crisis Center and over $105,000 has been donated to local and international project in the past 5 years alone. Hands on projects include our award-winning Bosom Buddy project and the construction and donation of hundreds of cloth face masks to Sierra View.
Zonta International is a leading global organization of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. More than 29,000 members in 63 countries work together to make gender equality a worldwide reality for women and girls. Since 1923, Zonta International has provided more than US $47.2 million to empower women and girls and expand their access to education, health care, economic opportunities and safe living conditions.