GONZALES — Gonzales High senior Melissa Cardenas was awarded the Donna Zoller Memorial Scholarship worth $10,000 from First Tee of Monterey County last Wednesday during a surprise announcement at the school.
Cardenas, 17, daughter of Maricela Pacheco and Aurelio Cardenas of Gonzales, worked diligently to be awarded the scholarship against other student athletes and golfers from Monterey County. On April 7, she will accept her award in front of the golf committee at the Tehama Golf Club in Carmel.
“Preparing for this scholarship meant so much to me,” Cardenas said. “I put in a lot of effort throughout the process. There were three rounds, and each one challenged me in different ways. I stayed committed and pushed myself to do my best every time. What mattered most to me was speaking from the heart and being genuine in my responses. I shared what I really felt, and I believe that authenticity helped me make it through each round.”
Gonzales High golf coach Fidencio Cuevas described Cardenas as a perfect example of a student-athlete that works hard in her extra-curricular activities.
“Melissa fully immersed herself in her new sport of golf from the start, she created engaging team activities in the off-season conditioning and was excited to learn a new sport,” Cuevas said. “She is a natural leader and was a great example of a student-athlete. She was the Elgie Bellizio winner for outstanding sportsmanship for our PCAL division and was our team Most Valuable Player. Her high standards of character and integrity have continued into her work as an E-Leader for First Tee of Monterey County, giving back to younger students and next year’s Gonzales High School golf team members.”
Cardenas has been involved in the Future Farmers of America for the past four years, competing in speaking events and raising market lambs, and was also historian for the Gonzales Girls Club and part of the Gonzales EAOP Program. She is currently preparing to attend college after graduation.
“I will be attending a four-year university and earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN),” Cardenas said. “I aspire to become a registered nurse because I want to provide compassionate care and make a real difference in people’s lives during their most vulnerable moments. I want to be someone who brings comfort, support and strength to patients and their families during difficult times. In the future, I plan to continue my education by pursuing a master’s degree and eventually becoming a doctor so I can specialize further and take on leadership roles in healthcare. I also want to advocate for others and be a role model for students who come from backgrounds like mine.”
At last Wednesday’s scholarship announcement, Cardenas celebrated the wonderful news with her friends, coaches and First Tee staff members. Also attending the March 18 event were Gonzales Unified School District Superintendent Joey Adame, Assistant Superintendent Hugo Galvan, Gonzales High Principal Keith Thorbahn, Gonzales High Counselor Juanita Zuniga and assistant golf coach Walter Curtis. After taking group photos, all in attendance celebrated the accomplishment with ice cream and cake.
While the sport of golf became a passion in her last year as a high school student-athlete, Cardenas hopes to continue playing.
“I will definitely continue playing golf,” she said. “Golf has become a part of who I am. It has taught me many valuable lessons like patience, discipline and perseverance. It’s more than just a sport to me. It’s something I truly enjoy and plan to keep being a part of my life.”
