Jacqueline Hart Gibson, Gilpin County. Despite the challenges Covid-19 has brought to celebrating this year’s graduates nationwide, the Gilpin community has gone to great lengths to ensure the achievements of the class of 2020 are recognized. This year’s graduating class, born a year after 9/11 and growing up amidst the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the opioid epidemic, and the 2008 housing crisis, knows well, the importance of persistence through chaos. On May 18, 2020, the GHS scholarship awards were presented virtually, observing the outstanding achievements of a generation who stared down those challenges, refusing to be defined or held back by them. 

Counselor Kim Cobb hosted and introduced the event, opening by acknowledging the love and support for students from the staff at GHS and the Gilpin community. Addressing the students directly she said, “There is a tremendous amount of growth that has been fostered in each and every one of you from this experience.” She went on adding, “You have overcome great obstacles. This is a class that will prove capable to adapt to any circumstance. We are so proud of you all, and hope you are proud of yourselves.” Kim also thanked parents, staff and scholarship participants, for their support of the 2020 graduating class.

Principal Donaldson presented students graduating with honors, beginning with the Eagle Honor Roll, students who graduated with a GPA between 3.0 and 3.49. The students recognized included; Ella Felty, Joyce Jewell, Madison Kennedy, Joleene Slack, Alyssa Webb and Michael Wenholz. Principal honor roll recipients, with a GPA of 3.5 to 3.99, included; Nicole Adams, Noemi Correa, John Paul Dimauro, and Lena Warren. The superintendent honor roll, with a GPA of 4.0 or above, included; Noelle Arrington, Claire Diekman, Josie Edelman, Bailey Hobson-Kroll, Alicia Johnson, Ashley Parkhurst, Samantha Smith, Isabel Szucs, Sarah Trujillo, and Jessica Wilhelm. 

Mary McGee presented the Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR, scholarship to the student who exhibited qualities of outstanding leadership and service to Bailey Hobson-Kroll. Bailey wrote a two hour timed essay on a surprise American History topic, without using the internet, in order to earn the scholarship.

Kim Cobb presented the city of Black Hawk Scholarship awards. These scholarships are granted to all graduating seniors who applied by March 15. The scholarships would be included with each GHS graduates’ diploma. 

Tom and Cary Imhe, who award a scholarship to one outstanding student each year, decided this year to instead award the entire graduating class. Because of the pandemic they said, “This has not been a typical year, and each graduate has made it through an unforeseen challenge, with limited celebrations.” The Imhe’s awarded each graduate a $50 gift card to do with as they pleased. 

Ryan and Hanna Raines presented the theater scholarship sharing their gratitude for being a, “part of their journey as a coach and a teacher. It has been an honor.” The scholarship was awarded to Isabel Szucs for her hard work on stage and behind the scenes throughout her time at GHS. 

Rebecca Blondo presented the Lady Elks Scholarship on behalf of the Central City Lady Elks Club stating to this year’s GHS graduates, “We wish you love and support on your future endeavors.” These $200 scholarships were awarded to; Mike Wenholz, Sarah Diekman, Sarah Trujillo, Samantha Smith, and Alicia Johnson. 

Joe and Kara Tinucci, from JKQ BBQ, give a $1000 award yearly to a student pursuing a career in hospitality or to a student who has worked with them during their high school career. This year’s scholarship was awarded to Seth Antill, who the Tinucci’s reported worked for them during the 2019 Opera Season. Joe offered his congrats to the 2020 class amidst a steady stream of entertaining photo bombs from a future GHS graduate. 

Michele Hernandez from the Booster Club wished the 2020 class the best of luck and awarded five $500 scholarships to; Mike Wenholz for athletics, Sara Trujillo for academics, Isabel Szucs for art, and both Alisha Johnson and Samantha Smith were recognized for community leadership.  

Mr. Wuchter, GHS Science teacher, presented the Peak to Peak Rotary Club awards. A $1000 scholarship was awarded to Sarah Trujillo and Samantha Smith. 

The Gilpin County Education Foundation Scholarships were presented by Sunny Vincent, who reported although the scholarship dinner was cancelled due to Covid-19, she was grateful there were still funds available to award $7000 in scholarships to fourteen 2020 seniors. Seth Antill, Mike Wenholz, Noelle Arrington, and Josie Edelman received $250. Bailey Hobson-Kroll, Ashley Parkhurst and Jessica Wilhelm received $500. Alicia Johnson, Claire Diekman and Samantha Smith received $750. Sarah Trujillo and Isabel Szucs each received $1000. Bailey Hobson-Kroll also received the Thielemann Teacher Scholarship award for $1000. 

The Barbara Lawlor Memorial Scholarship award was granted to all of the students who applied. Samantha Smith, Isabel Szucs, and Alicia Johnson were awarded $250. Additionally, Sarah Trujillo, who contributed multiple articles to The Mountain-Ear newspaper throughout her sophomore and junior years, was awarded $1000. 

Sheriff Kevin Armstrong three Elks Club awards for $600 to Claire Diekman, Samantha Smith, and Alicia Johnson. The Elks Club awarded Jessica Wilhelm an additional scholarship for $500. 

Finally, Armstrong announced the recipients of the Alan Green Memorial Foundation Scholarship. Alan Green grew up on a ranch on Robinson Hill and attended college at CSU, where he met his wife. After college he married and moved to Alaska. In 1979 Alan Green and his wife were killed in an airplane crash and soon after the Alan Green Memorial Foundation was founded. The foundation has granted more than $419,000 in scholarships between 1986 and 2006. From 2007 through 2019 over $470,000 in scholarships have been awarded. 

This year the IZ Bar Ranch scholarship, named for the Ranch where Green grew up in Gilpin county, in the amount of $60,000 over four years was granted to one GHS student, Ashley Parkhurst. An additional $2000 scholarship was awarded from the foundation to the other applicants; Samantha Smith, Bailey Hobson-Kroll, Sarah Trujillo, Claire Deikman, Isabel Szucs, Jessica Wilhelm, Michael Wenholz, Noelle Arrington, Alicia Johnson, and Cody Martin. 

  The awards were closed by Principal Donaldson who thanked the scholarship sponsors for their support for graduates year after year and congratulated the senior class of 2020 for their hard work and achievement. 

(Originally published in the May 21, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)