The Winchester Education Foundation was proud to participate in the recent baccalaureate ceremony at John Handley HS to present our 2025 scholarships to outstanding members of Handley’s 2025 graduating class.

Congratulations to the following students who received these WEF scholarships:

The Wells Fargo Scholarship, made possible by Wells Fargo Bank, is a $500 award specified for a student planning to begin their undergraduate education at the community college of their choice. This year we selected Diana Najarro Gonzalez as our Wells Fargo Scholarship recipient.

The Eugene B. Cooper scholarship, in the amount of $1,000, is made available through the Eugene Cooper Student Loan Fund of the Kiwanis Club of Winchester. Cooper scholarship winners demonstrate leadership and outstanding academic performance. This year two Cooper Scholarships were awarded to Addison Bessette and Joseph Cooper.

The Mindy J Loy Future Educator Scholarships are specified for students planning to pursue a degree in Education. The Loy Scholarships, in the amount of $4,000 each, are funded by a trust established by the late Mindy Loy, a 1974 graduate of John Handley High School. This year our two recipients were Hayley Davis and Mario Gomez.

The Mindy Loy Vocational Technical Scholarship is also funded by the same Loy trust. This $4,000 scholarship is earmarked for a student planning to pursue a career in either a technical or vocational field. The 2025 scholarship was awarded to Moustafa Hassand.

Our Rees Memorial Scholarships are made available through the handwritten will of Martha Walter Rees. The winners were selected in part based on character and service to the school and community. Four 2025 Rees Scholarships in the amount of $3,000 were awarded to our winners, Ana Aquino Batista, Joseph Cooper, Tatiana Diaz, and Olivia Jett.

The John and Polly Duvall Scholarship is provided by the Duvall family in honor of John and Polly Duvall. This $1,000 scholarship rewards overall strong academic performance. Our 2025 Duvall Scholarship was presented to James Mabe.

We would also like to acknowledge the two winners of our Hispanic Heritage Month award, Luis Ruiz Maya and Luis Fernandez, as well as Emeryce Worrell and Blessed Makahamadze, who were the recipients of our Black History month awards this year.

The Winchester Education Foundation and the many donors who make it possible for us to present these scholarships and awards salute all the members of Handley’s 2025 graduating class. We are proud to support both students and staff in our Winchester Public Schools. We salute every student, every staff member, and every teacher on the completion of another year at John Handley High School.