Scholars, from left to right: Madalyn Baily, Dayja Fellers, and Gus Ovaska. Courtesy photo

By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive Director
Champions of Youth Ambitions

Champions of Youth Ambitions is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Mikey Aslam Scholarship. This year, the Aslam family will send off three LAHS seniors with a $1,000 boost to their educational journey.

The scholars include Madalyn Baily, Dayja Fellers, and Gus Ovaska. Baily will attend Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, studying Biology and Exercise Science. Fellers hopes to head to Lewis and Clark College, and study Pre-Med. Gus Ovaska is headed to Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University to study Business Data Analytics.

The legacy of Mickey Aslam lives on through transforming grief into gratitude. This year marks 11 scholarships given to assist students in beginning their journey into adulthood.

“This year we had an exceptionally difficult time picking winners for the Mikey Aslam scholarship,” Tariq Aslam said. “There were so many great candidates who were active in the community, volunteered extensively and were helpful to so many others. We are proud of all the candidates and wish them all the best in the future.

The scholarships are in part meant for students that give back and the winning students represented many of the areas that Mikey was fond of in the giving of his time. The letters of support that accompanied the scholarship applications highlighted their kindness, perseverance, joyous infectious spirit, leadership traits, resilience, and service to others.

Here’s what the students had to say upon notification of the awards. “I am honored to receive this scholarship and help memorialize the life of Mikey Aslam,” Madalyn Baily said. “It truly means a lot to be selected. While I am greatly excited for this opportunity, I will also miss the amazing landscape and incredible opportunities of Los Alamos.”

“Winning this scholarship feels incredibly rewarding and honestly a little surreal. I feel very grateful and super excited for being chosen,” Dayja Fellers said. “Overall, it makes me feel supported and even more motivated to keep working hard and make the most of this opportunity. I will definitely miss the close-knit community in Los Alamos. It’s a place where people genuinely support each other. “

August “Gus” Ovaska rounds out the trio to receive the award. “It means a great deal to me because of the financial support it provides for my college education,” said Ovaska. “It’s an honor to receive this gift and be recognized for the dedication I have put into my academics and involvement throughout high school.”

The students will receive their awards at the ceremony on Monday evening. Donations in memory of Mikey can be made to Champions of Youth Ambitions (C’YA) and sent to PO Box 4741 White Rock, NM 87547.