Back in the year 2000 Don and Martha Tuffli, property owners in Mariposa, decided that they would like to encourage Mariposa County School High School graduates to pursue their dreams beyond high school by offering a scholarship of $10,000 per year for four years to a boy and girl. Each year a panel of local representatives, a member of the Tuffli Family, and members of the Kids First Foundation, is convened to select a boy and girl to receive the scholarships. The criteria are: high academic standing, passing at least two (college level) advanced placement courses, and at least one hundred hours of community involvement activities.
Since 2002, the Mariposa County Schools Foundation has awarded $600,000 in scholarships.
Past recipients:
2002
David Theiss
University of San Francisco Graduate 2006
Major: Community Development
Allyce Chappell
Loyola Marymount University Graduate 2006
Major: Marketing
2003
Nora (Ashley) Stoffan
University of California Davis Graduate 2007
Major: Pre-Med, Neurobiology Physiology
Craig Tierney
Sonoma State University Graduate 2007
Major: History
2004
Brian Moczygemba
San Diego State University Graduate 2008
Major: English
Amy Gunderson
Point Loma University Graduate 2008
Major: International Studies
2005
Katy Friesen
Wheaton College
Major: Anthropology
Ryan Ballinger
California State University, Stanislaus
Major: Physical Education
2006
Jeffrey Klackovich
University of California at Santa Cruz
Major: Environmental Studies
Tessa Johnson
Bryn Mawr University
Major: Pre-Med & Music
2007
Barbara Schellentrager
Biola University
Major: Communications
Justin Mendonca
University of Idaho
Major: Mechanical Engineering
2008
Jaret Fipps
Oklahoma State University
Major: Animal Science
Natasha Johnson
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
Major: Elementary Education
2009
Jennifer Ritter
Washington & Lee University
Major: Biology for Pre-Med
Tommy Murdock
Chapman College
Major: Athletic Training
2010
Colin Ritter
University of Portland
Amber Hartgraves
University of Portland
Major: Nursing
2011
Jon King
Undecided
Major: Emergency Room Medicine
Melissa Caputo
Undecided
Major: International Law