Larry Baca Memorial Scholarship recipients Anna Wetteland and Grafton Urbatsch. Courtesy photo

LAPS Foundation  News:

The Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation administers several memorial scholarships to graduating seniors each year. 

The following are the recipients from the Class of 2024:

• Grafton Urbatsch and Anna Wetteland are the winners of the Larry Baca Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to a student who has participated in track or cross country at Los Alamos High School.  The scholarship is named for Larry Baca, a renowned coach in Los Alamos for 30 years and member of the Los Alamos High School Hall of Fame and New Mexico Coaches Hall of Fame. He was a tremendous athlete at LAHS participating in baseball, basketball, wrestling, football and track. A role model to youth in our community, Baca’s humility, determination and sportsmanship enabled his track teams to achieve numerous district and state track titles.  Anna will attend the University of California at Los Angeles and major in statistics and marketing.  Grafton will attend Arizona State University and major in computer science.
• Marissa Meierdierks is the winner of the Irene Boone Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship, awarded to students pursuing a two or four-year degree at a college, university or technical-vocational program, is made possible through the generosity of long-time Los Alamos resident and pediatrician, Dr. Irene Boone and her husband, Zanas “Slim” Boone. Marissa will attend Eastern New Mexico University and study a subject in the STEM field.
• Sasha Carr, Eibhleann Hinrichs, Rebecca Li and Akshay Swaminarayan were selected for the Sophia Feldman Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded in memory of Sophia Feldman, a Los Alamos High School student who passed away in September 2019. Sophia was passionate about helping and supporting people and had many interests, including dance, music, and speech and debate. In Sophia’s honor the scholarships are awarded to students for their exemplary academic and personal conduct combined with participating in mentoring, anti-bullying, social justice, or related activities. Sasha will attend Oregon State University, majoring in mechanical engineering. Eibhleann will attend the University of New Mexico as a regents scholar to study astrophysics and dance. Rebecca will attend the University of California at Los Angeles and major in psychobiology. Akshay Swaminarayan plans to study biochemistry at the University of Arizona.

About Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation:

The Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization which serves as the connection between our community and school district, evaluating needs and investing resources to improve the quality of public education in our community. To learn more about the LAPS Foundation, visit www.lapsfoundation.com.

Irene Boone Memorial Scholarship recipient Marissa Meierdierks. Photo by Jessica Booton

Sophia Feldman Memorial Scholarship recipients Rebecca Li, Sasha Carr, Akshay Swaminarayan and Eibhleann Hinrichs. Photo by Jessica Booton