News

Contact: Maria Ramirez

Local Healthcare Organization and Coordinated Care Organization Provides Scholarship Opportunities to graduating seniors in Klamath County.

Klamath Falls, OR—The cost of higher education can be a burden for many people looking to advance their knowledge and skillset. To lessen this financial strain and promote the importance of education after high school, Cascade Comprehensive Care (CCC) provided four scholarships to Klamath County students through its affiliate company, Cascade Health Alliance (CHA) Community Fund Project. To qualify for the scholarships, applicants must have a 3.0 GPA and plan to attend a training program, a vocational program, community college, or a four-year university in 2019-2020. Graduating Seniors Madysen Grandy from Triad High School; Jazmine Tucker-Coon of Mazama High School; Jacob Vargas-Strickland from Mazama High School; and Ximena Lemus-Hernandez of Lost River High School were selected as recipients of the 2019 CHA Scholarship.

Madysen Grandy graduated from Triad on Sunday, June 9, 2019, and she will attend Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) to participate in the Medical Imaging program. "I chose the imaging program because it has piqued my curiosity in the world of technology and how much it may advance over the year. I have a spot in my heart for providing and helping others in the best ways I can, and I thought that I would excel in the imaging program," Grandy said. Outside of College, she has an interest in participating community theater at the Linkville Theatre and Ross Ragland. She currently participates in the Klamath Falls Symphony and plans to continue through her college career.

Jazmine Tucker-Coon graduated from Mazama High School on Friday, June 7, 2019. She obtained her Certified Nurse Assistant license, which she will begin using at Sky Lakes Medical Center this summer. Tucker-Coon has lived in Klamath Falls for most of her life and has loved every second of it. She will attend Western Oregon University in the fall to pursue a career in nursing and plans to become a Nurse Practitioner. "The scholarship means a lot to me because I do not really have a way to pay for college besides scholarships or just loans. I am extremely thankful for the people who chose me to get the scholarship because I will put it to good use. It gives me a starting point to go to college and every little bit helps so much." Tucker-Coon said. She is excited to experience new things with her friends and family. She is planning on taking up sky-diving this summer.

Ximena Lemus graduated from Lost River High School on Saturday, June 8, 2019, with plans to attend the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. She plans to major in Business Administration or Economics and will work toward a Master's in education. Lemus wants to build a career in career and technical education as a high school principal. Lemus was a local and state student officer for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA). Upon employment, she plans to serve a staff advisor for FBLA, DECA, and more. Lemus credits her career interest and achievements to her advisors Carla Boulton, Cara Gooch, and Ivan Hernandez. "My advisors have impacted my perspective and helped me hone my leadership skills. Throughout the past year, I have changed for the better, and I owe it to FBLA. I aspire to make the same impact on other students that my advisers have made on me." Lemus looks forward to college and her next steps in life. She will miss the Klamath Basin and the supportive community, but she is ready to grow," Lemus said. " I want the upcoming seniors to remember to pursue your passions and to take advantage of all the opportunities provided through our community and education," she added.

Jacob Vargas-Strickland graduated from Mazama High School on Friday, June 7th, 2019. He is interested in business and will begin at Klamath Community College this fall to work towards an Oregon Transfer Degree. Vargas-Strickland explained his experience at Mazama like being on a rollercoaster. Navigating high school and avoiding peer pressures, Vargas-Strickland learned early on of what he needed to do for himself to succeed. As a freshman in high school, he was recruited to join the Mazama Kindness Club. The goal of Kindness club is to boost positivity in the school and promote kindness to all students. Vargas-Strickland stated, "In my four years of high school, I was able to grow as an individual in ways I never thought possible. I want to tell people to enjoy the moment you're in. Enjoy the blessing that has been given to you and use those blessing to drive positive impact with everyone you meet." Vargas-Strickland will be working in Klamath Falls while attending school.

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Pictured from left to right: Jacob Vargas-Strickland, Jazmine Tucker-Coon, Ximena Lemus, and Madysen Grandy