Custer County Schools
From the awards presentation by School Counselor Troy Bomgardner

To 2021 Graduates;
First thing I want to say to seniors and their guests tonight- I am extremely proud of you. I am amazed at your resilience and ability to make it to the finish line of graduation. As teachers, we often talk about how difficult the past year has been, but I think we sometimes forget how difficult it may have been for you- going through your senior year- trying to navigate the close of one chapter and the beginning of another in your life. I want to say that sincerely I admire what you have gone through and how you have done it. Congratulations on a job well done!
Before we get to the scholarships, I need to brag on the seniors a little bit- over the past two years we have partnered with Pueblo Community College to offer a number of college credit courses. This year’s seniors will walk off the stage Saturday with over 150 college credits! You will see the seniors with a maroon honor cord signifying the college credit they have earned. Before I call up these seniors, I want to recognize one in particular- last spring, Tyler Camper came to the administration with a plan to jump start his culinary arts degree during his senior year. In addition to completing his high school requirements online, Tyler has been attending PCC full-time and is halfway through his associates degree in Culinary Arts. Congratulations Tyler!
Seniors who have received college credit, please come forward as I call your name and let’s wait until the end to give them a round of applause:
Madeline Ballard,Tyler Camper, Memphis Curry, Levi Frickson, Chase Hatton, Alexa Hopkins, Zander Jewell, Kaylie Jones, Peyton Kriegh, Molly McClain, Kaydin Moore, Katherine Mullett, Wulfgar Parmenter, Amanda Paulson, Nicholas Teele, Jessica Worster and Micah Zeller.
Congratulations seniors on beginning your college career early!
In 2019, we moved the scholarship presentations to this evening instead of at graduation. However, with a pandemic going on, the decision was made to limit attendance this evening and I will be acknowledging the scholarships received. I will be calling seniors up alphabetically to be recognized. We have tried very hard to get information from all the different agencies, I hope we have all the scholarships covered but if I miss one, please let me know tonight and we will
try to make the corrections in the graduation program.
To begin with, I would like to recognize a few special scholarships.
The Hurliman Scholarship is named in honor of the late Dr. Jack Hurliman and his wife, Edith, of Cañon City. The scholarship is awarded to top students in Fremont, Pueblo and Custer County. Nearly 80 students applied with the very best 26 interviewing for a few select scholarships. I would like to ask Katherine Mullett to join me and be recognized as a recipient of a one-time -$10,000 Hurliman scholarship! (we will be hanging this plague in the school!)
The PTSO has sponsored a scholarship award that honors our seniors who have chosen to enter a branch of military service. The following students have enlisted and will be serving their country and will receive the PTSO Military Scholarship. Please come forward as I call your name:

Levi Frickson: U.S. Navy as Aviation Technician
Katie Wilkinson: U.S. Navy as Operations Specialist

In addition, PTSO offered a gift card drawing for students who came into my office to pick up scholarship packets- and the winners are: Katherine Mullett, Amanda Paulson, Madeline Ballard, and Molly McClain.
And now we will begin recognizing our students in alphabetical order who have received scholarships. We are blessed to have a large number of local scholarships awarded each year. This year, local scholarships awarded will total over $40,000!! Students, please be sure to thank the agencies for their generous support. In addition to the local scholarships, for the students who shared the information, I will be recognizing institutional scholarships students have received.

Madeline (Maddie) Ballard: American Legion Scholarship, Colorado Opportunity Rotary Matching Scholarship, Custer County Medical Association Ben Kettle Memorial Scholarship, Double D Wood-crafter Life Skills Scholarship, High Altitude Garden Scholarship, Faculty-Staff Scholarship, Fremont/Custer County Bar Association Scholarship, Lighthouse Pregnancy Resources Scholarship, PTSO Scholarship, and from Colorado State University-Pueblo-the Distinguished Merit Scholarship
Memphis Curry- From the University of Colorado-Denver- the Provost/Chancellor Scholarship
Tristin Greenhagen– Faculty Staff Scholarship, and from Emmaus Bible College- a Men’s Basketball Athletic Scholarship
Alexa Hopkins– from Metropolitan State University, College of Business Annual Scholarship, Elements Annual Scholarship, Keith Mann Memorial Endowed Scholarship, Urban Leadership Program Scholarship
Kaylie Jones– from Cedarville University in Ohio, the President’s Scholarship
Hayley Maloney– Sangre de Cristo Electric Scholarship, and from Fort Lewis College, the Dean’s Merit Scholarship
Molly McClain– Double D Woodcrafters Life Skills Scholarship, Faculty Staff Scholarship, John and Mary Dilley Scholarship, Mt. Moriah/Silver Cliff Masonic Lodge Scholarship, Rotary Foundation Scholarship, Royal Gorge Realtors Scholarship, United Business Bank Scholarship, and from Grand Canyon University in Arizona, the Provost Scholarship
Kaydin Moore– Custer County Medical Association Ben Kettle Memorial Scholarship, Rotary Foundation Scholarship, Faculty Staff Scholarship, and the PTSO Scholarship, County Sheriff’s of Colorado Scholarship
Katherine Mullett– Custer County Alumni Scholarship, Custer County Medical Association Ben Kettle Memorial Scholarship, Faculty Staff Scholarship, Mt. Moriah/Silver Cliff Masonic Lodge Scholarship, PTSO Scholarship, Richard and Iris Wilson Memorial Scholarship, and the Rotary Foundation Scholarship
Wulfgar Parmenter– Custer County Alumni Scholarship, Colorado Scholarship Initiative Opportunity Scholarship-County Commissioners Matching Scholarship, Faculty Staff Scholarship, PTSO Scholarship, Rotary Foundation Scholarship, and from the University of Colorado Boulder- Academic Scholarship
Nicholas Teele– from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee- the Wisconsin GI Bill Scholarship
Bo Van Duys- Dan Riggs Memorial Scholarship, and from Oklahoma State University- Academic Scholarship and Equestrian Athletic Scholarship
Micah Zeller- from Adams State University, Men’s Cross Country Scholarship
Again, seniors, what you have accomplished during a world-wide pandemic is impressive- best of luck in the future and please come back and visit!