Carson High School seniors Alexandra Munoz, Devin Zervoulakos and Isai Vasque, who have enlisted in the military, are honored with scholarships with bonuses for their recruitment during the Salute to Scholars on May 22, 2025.
Photo by Jessica Garcia.
By Jessica Garcia
Friday, May 23, 2025
Carson High School celebrated 82 scholarship recipients and 10 students enlisted in the military Thursday during its annual Salute to Scholars at the Carson City Community Center.
Members of the Class of 2025 received more than $10 million in financial aid offers. On Thursday, local nonprofit organizations, businesses, memorials established by families and the school’s own holiday craft fair awarded Carson High’s recipients $2.5 million.
Angel Vega Alvarez received multiple awards from the Carson Valley Quilt Guild, Families United and the Jim Frank Memorial Scholarship. He plans to study photography at the University of New Mexico, he said.
“Just the opportunity to even get scholarships, it’s awesome, right?” he said. “So to be able to win them is even better because now I can go to college knowing that I have support and it’s not as stressful because I’m not going to stress myself trying to make money.”
Vega Alvarez has been practicing his skills since his sophomore year taking landscape, portrait and event photos.
“One of my bigger projects is on E Washington Street, where I go out and talk to homeless individuals and I just get to know them, and eventually I take a picture of the sign that just says a message they want to tell the world,” he said.
Jailey Tijerina also received a variety of awards, including a $10,000 award from the Reno Rodeo Foundation.
“It just makes me excited about my future and just because I’m so thankful for so many great things and to know that my community supports me, it’s amazing,” she said.
She plans to attend the University of Nevada, Reno for her undergraduate work followed by a veterinary school in Oregon or Utah.
“I’ve always had a passion for animals, but I really love to see the connection we have with them and I just want to help them,” she said.
Carson City School Trustee Mike Walker said the Class of 2025 helped to raise the bar with the number of members going on to higher education.
“This shows the span of talent and vision within this class, and it’s a testament to how Carson City celebrates all postsecondary paths,” he said.
Chris Coulam received the Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation’s Inspire Scholarship. Coulam was diagnosed with primary central nervous lymphoma as a freshman in October 2021 and underwent brain surgery to remove two tumors.
“I’m just kind of proud of being able to end up graduating in the end,” Coulam said, looking forward to participating in commencement June 7.
Coulam said he would like to pursue a career in computers or information technology.
Joan Baker Gardner, presenting the awards for the John and Grace Nauman Foundation, said the nonprofit honors the work of a former local couple who supported education. John Nauman had been a high school teacher. When he died in 1991, Grace Nauman established the foundation and scholarships are renewable for students who maintain a B average and 12 credits in school.
“What I love about the interviews is these kids have heart,” Baker Gardner said. “Their energy is so contagious … and they have really exciting goals.”
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