MOUNTED POSSE PRESENTS YAVAPAI COLLEGE WITH $7000 IN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS

Published on May 21, 2024

The Yavapai County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse (YCMSP) May 21st presented a check for $7000 to the Yavapai College Foundation (YCF) for scholarships for deserving county high school students. YCMSP Treasurer and Scholarship Chairman Chris Hill and YCSO Public Affairs Coordinator Steve Brazell presented the check to YCF Executive Director Mary Talosi and Scholarship Coordinator Kelly O’Brien, who is also a YC financial aid advisor.

Hill said seven students from Yavapai county will benefit from the $1000 grants, including three from Prescott (Sarah Love, Gage Childers and Riley Crockett), two from Sedona (Elliott Friday and Ashley Stewart), one from Camp Verde (Anyssa Pineda) and one from Seligman (Nia Rose Martinez). Three of those will enter the YC Nursing Program.

The YCMSP handed out a total of $37,000 in scholarships this year. The Ralph Hooker grants are specifically for students who will attend Yavapai College. The other scholarships can be used at the college, university, or trade school of the student’s choice. Hill said 14 different high schools were represented this year, along with one home-schooled student. And, for the first time ever, one of the grants went to a student from Wickenburg High School.

The Posse began the scholarship program in 1958 with one grant for $250. Since then, nearly $660,000 has been donated to help high school seniors in the county achieve their educational goals. Hill said the Posse, which began in 1941 to help support YCSO while some of the deputies were in military service during WW II, has four major scholarship fund raising events each year, including the May Roping at the Prescott Fairgrounds. This year’s roping event brought in the largest donation amount in its history. Other events include a golf tournament in August, the Scholars Need Dollars dinner in October, and a Bill Nebeker bronze sculpture auction.