Reagan Library announces scholarship winners
By Sophia Fischer sfischer@theacorn.com

Eighty-seven Ventura County high school seniors were honored for leadership and academic excellence at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

Twelve of the students received $42,500 worth of college scholarships and a copy of "Ronald Reagan, an American Hero" signed by Nancy Reagan.

The teachers of the top three winners will also each receive a $500 award.

All 87 students were presented with the biography "Ronald Reagan, the Presidential Portfolio," by Lou Cannon, a veteran journalist who covered Reagan's career for more than two decades.

The students enjoyed a buffet dinner at the May 16 event in the Air Force One Pavilion.

Students applied for the honor by submitting an application, recommendations, grade transcripts and an essay.

The essay prompt asked participants to choose a current state or national leader who best exemplified two aspects of Ronald Reagan's style of leadership and explain why.

The judges included Ventura County District Attorney Gregory Totten; Moorpark College President Eva Conrad; several members of the Hoover Institution, a Stanford University public policy research center; and two local professional/ business leaders.

Reagan Library and Foundation Executive Director R. Duke Blackwood congratulated students, their parents, principals and counselors. He also recognized the library staff, the judges and patrons for their time in supporting the program.

"I know President Reagan is looking down on us with a smile because this is the right thing to do," Blackwood said.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Scholars program, held annually since the library opened in 1991, is done in partnership between the Reagan Library Foundation and California Oaks State Bank. The community bank, with offices in Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley, doubled the scholarship money offered this year.

The evening's program included a keynote address by A. Adam Housley, a FOX News Channel correspondent.

Through a slide show of his worldwide travels, Housley advised students to be grateful, to find people to look up to and to stay in touch with family and friends, and to retain their dreams.

"Your dreams may change and may not end up being what you expected but that's okay. Don't give up on them," Housley said.

Receiving monetary awards were Justin Allen, Adolfo Camarillo High School, first place; second place, Megan Louise Jackson and Daniel Trevor Olmsted, Buena High School; and finalists Lekendra Brionne Putman, Buena High School, and Jiacheng Yan and Daniel Fischer, Oak Park High School. Honorable mentions went to Wendy Cook, La Reina High School; Yael DeLeon, Thousand Oaks High School; Donielle Griggs, Ventura High School; Maxine Holland, Hueneme High School; Desiree Johnston, Channel Islands High School; and Emily Tung, Moorpark High School.