Congratulations to InSPIRE Scholarship and CYCF President’s Award Winners
May 22, 2024
by Diane Foote
The CYC Foundation is pleased and proud to announce the inaugural class of InSPIRE Scholarship winners! These scholarships were awarded at the CYC Foundation's Donor Appreciation and Scholarship Awards Dinner on May 16, along with the 2024 CYC Foundation President's Award. These scholarships, made possible by a bequest from the estate of Dr. Jean-Paul Spire, support post-secondary education for CYC Foundation program alumni. Dr. Spire received the President's Award posthumously in recognition of his extraordinary generosity; Ikuko Mizuno (pictured above with the Scholarship winners in attendance) accepted the Award on his behalf.
InSPIRE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Sherlyn Argueta, Taft High School
Affinitie Curtis, Englewood STEM High School
Jack Gibbs, Northridge College Prep
Ashley Hull, Englewood STEM High School
Regina Marie Kurkowski, Willows Academy
Montserrat Lopez, Rickover Naval Academy
Hubert Michon, Rickover Naval Academy
Sherry Peoples, Englewood STEM High School
2024 CHICAGO YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION PRESIDENT'S AWARD
Dr. Jean-Paul Spire
Collectively, the 2024 class of InSPIRE Scholarship winners is an impressive group of young people: All high-school seniors in the Chicagoland area, they represent a wide range of experiences and interests, including two Lead HER Ship participants, a cheer team captain, members of the Sea Scout Ship Privateer, and an alumnus of the CYC Foundation's Maritime Academy. Their aspirations include attending college and a variety of career goals including ultrasound technician, data analyst, civil engineering, and pilot.
Sherlyn Argueta, the aspiring pilot, cited her experience in Lead HER Ship in her application essay. "I want to be able to have that sense of adventure again, because I felt free, calm, and relaxed, and it felt so nice. The trip was one of the reasons why I wanted to become a pilot, so I could travel the world, and when I become a pilot, I will have the same feeling as I did on the boat," she said. "This scholarship would help me accomplish my dreams of becoming a commercial pilot."
Affinitie Curtis took a broad view of the opportunities this scholarship would provide. "Securing the InSPIRE Scholarship would be a game-changer for me," she says. "The InSPIRE Scholarship represents more than just financial assistance; it's a gateway to a world of opportunities."
Please join us in congratulating all eight young people on their successful achievements in earning the very first InSPIRE Scholarships from the CYC Foundation, and in remembering Dr. Spire's significant contribution toward ensuring opportunity for Chicago's young mariners.