For the college-bound students in the class of 2020, spring is nothing more than a stressful season. Grades must be solidified, essays written, college applications submitted; and a lot of stress is brought along with the simple fact that reality hits right after graduation.

Investing in one’s future education is a knowledgeable thing to do to have a good-paying, successful job in the future. One common obstacle people face is not knowing how to come up with the funds to afford a college education, as the average person graduates with their degree plus $60,000 in debt from student loans. Grants, scholarships and financial aid are all ways people get help with paying for college. 

But for four students from West, their hard work and drive for success have made it into the next round/interview processes to earn prestigious scholarships. 

Raeann Mosqueda and Oscar Perez Luna are both finalists for the Daniel’s Fund Scholarship. These two students were chosen after filling out the extensive application and displaying good character, leadership abilities, academic performance and being well-rounded people. Mosqueda and Perez Luna were chosen from West out of applicants from five states around Colorado and will continue the interview process in hopes to earn four years of tuition for free to a school of their choice. 

Mosqueda said, “Moving on to the next phase makes me nervous but excited because it’s a huge opportunity for my education and I can’t wait to see what happens next.”

Another student that is a step closer to getting a huge fraction of their college tuition payed for is senior Rodrigo Perez. His involvement in a multitude of sports and activities has landed him a spot in the semifinals of the Coca-Cola Foundation Scholarship. This $20,000 award is given to 150 high school seniors each year. If Perez lands a spot in the next round, he will get a flight to Atlanta and amenities paid in full for the next stage of the process. 

“I spent a lot of time filling out the application and trying to show my values and impacts I’ve made on other people through my involvement in AVID and other things,” said Perez.

In addition, Greeley West has a Boettcher Foundation semifinalist.  Grace Chahal, who was busy last week traveling to Texas to look at potential colleges and unavailable for comment, will also interview in the coming weeks for the scholarship that provides full tuition to a Colorado school of her choice.