Every year Greater Nevada Credit Union awards scholarships to deserving local students. This year the company gave out $60,000 to 31 high school graduates.
"Every year we get 140 or so applications and, we get to read every one," said Dean Altus with Greater Nevada Credit Union. "It's always very tough to figure out which ones are going to get these scholarships because they all have great stories, they always have really strong academics, so it's tough, but it's a lot of fun."
Adriana Grant, a Douglas High graduate, is heading to UNR for the pre-med program, and has her sights set on medical school.
"I've been thinking about my future plans and especially medical school since middle school," she said. "I want to go into pediatrics and I love kids and I'm so excited to go to medical school!"
She says the scholarship will be a big help.
"There are so many kids like me who have so many dreams, and those are hard to achieve right now, with how much it costs to attend university," she said. "So this is absolutely amazing."
Carson High grad Gaby Avina is also heading to UNR, with dreams of becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist.
"This hits close to home for me," she said. "I think I'll be able to provide services to the people that really need them, I will be there. And if I can just help break the stigma within the Spanish -speaking community of receiving that mental health help, I want to be that first-hand provider, to be able to make that connection with them. It's not only about speaking the language but understanding the culture as well, and that's my calling."
She says seniors missed out on a lot this year, but she's excited about the next steps.
"I'm so excited to go to college and to meet new people, I'm very excited for my future," Avina said. "I applied for these scholarships, worked super hard in high school and now it's all paying off."
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