2024 Riley I Whitelaw Memorial

Scholarship Recipients

Jaime P.

Class of 2024, Air Academy High School
School Attending: Metropolitan State University - Denver
Aspirations: I'm going to be studying Aviation and Aerospace science at MSU Denver along with getting my instrument rating, commercial license, and double engine rating.
In the future, I plan to start my career as a certified flight instructor or begin an airline pathways program to preferably Delta.
Extracurricular Activities: This summer I'm going to be participating in VUELO, a SpaceTech Scholars summer camp for a week and I was a recipient of the SpaceTech Scholarship, becoming a new club member. I'm also planning to join the Women in Aviation Club, an international chapter of the Women in Aviation branch that holds international competitions and meetings every year.
Lastly, I have my eye on the MSU Denver honors program which holds meetings and demonstrates academic excellence.
What I’m Excited About: I can't wait to fly in Denver’s mile-high altitude as well as make new friends with similar interests, whether that be aviation or hobbies, and study tactics. I'm eager to push through the challenges that I face as I live on my own and become a real “adult”.
Madison D.

Class of 2024, Village High School (1st District-wide Scholarship)
School Attending: Oregon State University
I am, once again, so appreciative of receiving this meaningful scholarship in remembrance of Riley.
After graduating, I will be spending the summer with family and friends before moving to Corvallis Oregon to attend Oregon State University. I will major in Biology with a concentration on Pre-Veterinary Medicine and I hope to minor in Environmental Science.
After my undergraduate years, I will pursue a Veterinary School program to earn a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. I have dreamt of becoming a veterinarian my entire life and I am eager to embark on the path that brings this dream to life.

2023 Riley I Whitelaw Memorial

Scholarship Recipients

Jordan S.

Class of 2023, Air Academy High School
School Attending: CU Boulder
Future aspirations: I would like to study with a graduate degree in astrophysics or astronomy and become an astronaut for NASA or SpaceX.
Extracurricular Activities: Winterguard with Malachi, internship at NASA, maybe join some clubs that seem fun, even a crochet club, and continue to develop my rusty sketching skills!
Exciting college things: I am excited to start learning about the topics I have interest in and be able to experience a taste of living on my own and having my own space. I am very excited to decorate my dorm!
Kaitlyn V.

Class of 2023, Air Academy High School
School Attending: CU Boulder
I will be attending college at the University of Colorado at Boulder to study Architectural Engineering. I also plan to minor in art or Spanish!
My future aspirations include working in the field designing spaces and buildings to share with others while I hope to maintain a healthy lifestyle by continuing the sport of swimming. I also am excited to build new relationships and long-lasting friendships!
At college I look forward to participating in Navigators and continuing to pursue my relationship with God. I also plan on joining CU's club swim team and compete like I did in highschool! I additionally want to join a few clubs to establish a new community. I was thinking something along the lines of waffle club!
I am excited to pursue a passion with new resources and around people with a similar future goal. I am also excited to change my atmosphere to make more friends and a difference in this community. I look forward to also learn more about myself with the new challenges that are present at college!

2024 Riley I Whitelaw Art Grant Recipients

Addisyn B.

Class of 2024, Air Academy High School
I've always loved art, but during highschool, I found that clay is my favorite medium! In college, I hope to define my skills both for sculpting and pottery-making! In the future, I'd love to work as an artist in any capacity, full time or on the side, but I will definitely continue to make art even if it's just as a hobby.
Addi is attending Colorado State University, and majoring in horticulture this fall!
Micah B.

Class of 2025, Air Academy High School
Art is huge part of my life and a way for me to express myself in a way like no other. My first music class where I actually played an instrument was in the fifth grade, where I started like everyone else, on the recorder. As soon as I picked the thing up I knew right then that music was for me. Since then, I have picked up the saxophone, xylophone, mellophone, and most importantly, the French horn. Each of these instruments represent a different musical group I was a part of. I played in jazz band, indoor drumline, marching band, and concert band, where I played French horn. The French horn was and still is my primary instrument. Since sixth grade, I've played the horn.
Along the way I’ve achieved the following honors: PMEA District Orchestra (2023) PMEA District Band (2023), PMEA Region Orchestra (2023), PMEA Region Band (2023), and PMEA All-State Orchestra (2023). Additionally qualifying for: PMEA All-State Band (2023), Colorado Springs All-City Honor Band (2024), Colorado All-State Symphony Orchestra (2024), and Colorado All-State Symphonic Band (2024).
I also let my creativity shine through animation and writing my own original orchestral and band compositions. I’ve been animating my own cartoons and stories for more than a year now and have enjoyed being able to share them with others and make them smile through my own art style. I have also composed a lot of my own pieces of music ranging from a seven minute long full orchestral piece titled Zenith to a stand tune approved to be played for this year's marching band season and featuring the mellophone.
Beyond highschool, I am planning to go into music composition and animation, hoping to be able to make my own hit pieces of music and animations.

2023 Riley I Whitelaw Art Grant Recipients

Anna S.

Class of 2023, Air Academy High School
Hi! I’m Anna. I am going to the University of Northern Colorado this fall to pursue my love for musical theatre. Using this grant, I hope to build stronger performance skills so that I can do musical theatre as my future career. I am so honored to have received this grant to help me hone my craft.
Caleb W.

Class of 2023, Air Academy High School
I am a graduating senior from Air Academy High School, I am very involved with the filmmaking programs that our school has to offer as well as film making in general.
My ideas for the grant as of right now for supplies are editing software or possible camera equipment. Thank you so much for the grant! It truly means a lot to me.
Lily R.

Class of 2023, Air Academy High School
I've always loved singing but I've never received any formal training or even participated in a school choir. My family and coworkers can attest to the fact that I am constantly listening to and humming along with music. I want to hone my abilities and learn about singing in order to bring some technical skills to a passion I've had since I was young.
In the fall, I plan on attending UCCS and receiving a double major in Business with an emphasis on Accounting and Spanish. I'd love to interpret Spanish in a medical setting someday and I want to help the Spanish-speaking community.
Catherine Quinn H.

Class of 2023, Air Academy High School
I’m a devoted animal lover and founded a club called Arts to the Rescue so I could support animal rescues while offering myself and other students an opportunity to do impactful volunteer work.
The primary focus of the club is to improve rescue adoption rates through a variety of artforms which engage and inspire the public to appreciate the uniqueness and value of all animals. Our club has raised close to $3,000 in less than 18 months.
We’ve gotten a chance to work with a wide variety of rescues including the Humane Society, National Mill Dog Rescue, Wild Blue Cat Sanctuary, and the Misfit Crew Horse Sanctuary.
Our goal was to create artwork to display on kennels or be used at adoption fairs but we’ve also been involved in fundraising auctions, logo development, website creation, and arts and crafts entertainment for awareness events for children.
We are struck by how meaningful our artwork is to these rescues and it reminds us just how much these small gestures mean to people and these beautiful animals going through the unthinkable and the power of a butterfly effect.
Like Riley, I am dedicated to radiating kindness, compassion, and creativity through my artwork and forging friendship with a creative outlook. I’ve been deeply inspired by my work with animal rescue organizations, but now look forward to focusing my artistic pursuits more personally and expand my knowledge of oil, watercolor, gouache, and acrylic painting.