2007 DeCA scholarships awarded Published June 8, 2007 By Airman 1st Class Luis Loza Gutierrez Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Derek Hopper, a graduate of Central High School in San Angelo, was awarded a $1,500 scholarship from the Defense Commissary Agency during a ceremony Wednesday inside the base commissary. "I'm very glad to have won this scholarship. It will relieve some of the stress of having to pay for classes at Angelo State University." said the 18-year-old. Col. Richard Ayres, 17th Training Wing commander, along with Goodfellow Commissary store manager Kimberly Houston and Mabel Snider, Sarvis, Inc. district manager were on hand to present the scholarship. Sarvis is a business management organization, which provides professional sales and merchandising support to DeCA. Hopper was not the only recipient of a $1,500 scholarship. Samantha Cazsatt, an Angelo State student, who will be a junior in the fall, also won. She was not able to attend the presentation. Scholarships for Military Children, which is funded by commissary vendors and manufacturers, serves to make the premier military benefit even more valuable by offering military children the chance to earn a $1,500 scholarship for college. The program is administered by Fisher House Foundation, which operates a network of comfort houses located near military medical centers, providing a "home away from home" for the families of hospital patients in crisis. The scholarships were open to qualified sons and daughters of active duty, guard and reserve servicemembers and retirees. Graduating high school seniors, as well as students currently enrolled in a 4-year program were eligible to apply. A minimum 3.0 grade point average, demonstration of community involvement and a short essay on "What historical event would they change and why?" were among the requirements for consideration. Sponsors were generous in their support and those funds will provide 566 $1,500 scholarships with at least one at nearly every commissary worldwide in 2007. "Community involvement is what the Goodfellow Commissary is all about, and Scholarships for Military Children is one way to show we care," said Ms. Houston. "The commissary system has long supported promotions with a focus on education. The Scholarships for Military Children program complements the many worthwhile scholarships awarded through installation activities, organizations affiliated with the military community, or funded by local vendors and will help ease the burden of educating our military children today," she added (Excerpts from a news release by the Defense Commissary Agency contributed to this article).
