Central Colorado Humanists 2022 Scholarship Awards

Central Colorado Humanists is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2022 scholarships. Six of the recipients of the $1,500 awards are graduating seniors entering their first year of post-secondary education and three are recipients for their sophomore year. The graduating seniors are not only outstanding students, they have all been deeply involved in other school activities. Their academic and personal qualities exemplify the values of the Central Colorado Humanists: informed by science; guided by reason; inspired by art and nature; motivated by compassion.

Brennan Pratt, from Buena Vista High School, has carried a heavy math/science curriculum, plus a busy extra-curricular schedule that includes a variety of athletics and Science Olympiad Competition. He’s now ready and eager to follow his passion for space. “I have goals to help advance technology and becoming an aerospace engineer will allow me to do just that in a field that I love.”

Not only has Elena Dunn excelled in academics at Buena Vista High School, she has also been a leader and active participant in theater, athletics, music and more. This fall Elena will begin her post-secondary education at CU Boulder where she has been accepted into the Leeds Scholars Program within Leeds School of Business. Regarding her future education, Elena states: “Objective data analysis and complete, reliable research are integral in developing one’s moral compass.”

Kuper Banghart wrote "The best tool we have against disinformation is knowledge" and he has been actively seeking that all through high school. Graduating among the top students in his class at Salida High School, Kuper also found time to be captain of the cross country and track and field teams, participate in the state Knowledge Bowl and was founder and facilitator of the S.T.E.M. club at the Boys and Girls Club. Recipient of numerous accolades, he is planning to study Biomedical Engineering.

Lydia Tonnesen has been an outstanding honors student at Salida High School and has maintained numerous extracurricular activities including athletics and music, playing with jazz bands and jazz orchestras as well as with the Alpine Orchestra. She has volunteered at HRRMC and helped plant trees with Central Colo Conservancy. Her hope is "...that by going to college I can be part of a generation of people that learns how to break through the box social media holds us in and destroys the power it has in influencing people to act without reason."

Tanner Richmond, a Buena Vista High School student, has been involved for three years in student government, and has participated for four years in volleyball, community volunteer activities, and parttime employment during summer and fall seasons. Tanner plans to attend the CU Boulder, College of Media, Communication and Information where “I will learn to communicate in a way that is based on true, reliable, scientific information...”

Quinn Philips is known for his “work ethic" and leadership abilities. While a student at Buena Vista High School, he has played soccer and baseball, and volunteered and worked in outdoor activities within the community. He wrote "I want to be the person thinking and challenging the information that doesn’t seem true by looking at both sides of the story."

In addition to our six high School students, three of last year’s Central Colorado Humanists scholarship recipients (see below) will receive a continuing scholarship that will help to fund their sophomore year. Due to the hard work and generous contributions of the Central Colorado Humanists membership, each scholarship will be for $1,500.

Allyna Bright is majoring in Anthropology and Psychology at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas.

Cassidy Gillis is majoring in Environmental Planning, Analysis and Policy at UC Davis, Davis, California. She anticipates changing her major to Sustainable Environmental Design.

Hadley Ross is majoring in Secondary Education in science at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana.

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