From left: Exalted Ruler Gloria Cisneros, Everest Severson (McKinley’s brother), Joseph Weichsel and Scholarship Chairman Roger Mastro
Pat Cox
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks National Foundation recognizes top high school graduates from across the country with $2.5 million in scholarship awards. The scholarships are awarded based upon the student’s academic achievements, leadership skills, extracurricular activities, participation in community services and financial need. Within the southern district alone, there are 34 high schools. Five of these schools are in the Catalina Mountain Elks Lodge jurisdiction.
Lodge Scholarship Chairman Roger Mastro presented $1,600 scholarships to two outstanding Oro Valley high school seniors, Joseph Weichsel, Canyon Del Oro High School and McKinley Severson, Pusch Ridge Christian Academy. Both scholarship recipients plan to attend the University of Arizona.
The Lodge also awarded a total of $4,000 in scholarships distributed among five students pursuing higher education or technical training. The students receiving these awards were Peggy Brownlee, University of Arizona; Travis Dobbin, University of Notre Dame; Madison Johnson, Grand Canyon University; Lili Oland, University of Arizona and Aaron Peck, Butler University.