Tuesday May 23, 2017
Dear Friends, Supporters and Students,
Spring has sprung and with it has brought a number of exciting announcements from ECF, including six brilliant new scholarship recipients. We are excited to share this news with you and look forward to growing our foundation for the best year yet!
The ECF board has taken a good deal of time during the last few months accepting scholarship applications, reading essays and sitting down to interview hopeful candidates. After extensive and careful deliberation, we recently came to a conclusion to award six scholarships to local Clark County high school students. This year’s recipients include two valedictorians and have the highest cumulative GPA to date. Please join us in congratulating Ashley Hassler, Brandon Scarberry, Kennedy Villegas, Monica Corral, Noe Martinez-Alvarez, and Rocio Vasquez. More about each of the newest ECF scholars is shared below. This year’s recipients have an outstanding combined average 4.46 GPA!
It was a gorgeous day for ECF’s 2nd Annual Golf Tournament at Red Rock Country Club’s private Mountain Course. Golfers started the morning off with coffee and breakfast from Sambalatte Torrefazione and a Bloody Mary from Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits. The day was enjoyed with drinks from Constellation Brand Beers (Corona, Corona Light, Modelo, Pacifico), Don Pancho Origenes, Ederington, Hendricks Gin, Nevada H&C Distilling Co., SGWS Craft Brands (New Belgium, Firestone Walker, Dogfish, Brooklyn, Magic Hat), Tito’s Vodka, Fiji Water, and Vero Water at our on-course watering holes. On course bites were generously provided by The Platinum Hotel and California Pizza Kitchen. Congratulations to 1st Place: Johnny Nittinger, Steve Stallworth, and Mike Conley; 2nd place: John Warnshulz; Kevin Kopec, Issac Loes, and Fransisco Agguire ; 3rd place: Skyler Cabacungan, Joe Morrissey, David Copper, and Lee Marer; putting contest: Skyler Cabacingan; longest drive: Jose Gonzales; closest to the pin: Jeremy Morris. Photos from the event are available here.
Whether seeking to pursue careers in culinary arts or hospitality, the dreams of our deserving students are our No. 1 priority and we are continually working toward providing the best possible resource for those dreams to come true. It is thanks to the generous support from our sponsors, donors, partners, and board that our actions are possible, and for that we thank you. As always, you can keep up to date with everything ECF at www.ecflv.org or by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @EpicureanLV.
Best,
Melissa Arias
Executive Director of Epicurean Charitable Foundation
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS!
Ashley Hassler
High School: East Career and Tech Academy
University: University of Nevada Las Vegas
Major: Hospitality Management
Minor: Restaurant Management
Ashley is ECF’s first scholarship recipient from ECTA and it’s no wonder why with an impressive 4.698 GPA. Ashley is passionate about culinary and pastry arts and wants to own her own restaurant or be CEO of a company in the culinary field. Ashley is currently a Shift Manager for Del Taco. She has competed in FCCLA and Skills USA and even placed 1st in Culinary Arts at FCCLA and will be going to Nationals this summer.
Brandon Scarberry
High School: Valley High School
University: University of Nevada Las Vegas
Major: Hospitality Management
Brandon is a brilliant young man with an impressive 4.506 GPA who plans to pursue his degree in Hospitality Management. Brandon completed his high school internship at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and hopes to one day be President of a strip property. Brandon cares about his community and has volunteered over 160 hours to organizations like Three Square and Spread the Word Nevada. In addition, he is also a member of his high school wrestling team.
Kennedy Villegas
High School: Valley High School
University: University of Nevada Las Vegas
Major: Hospitality Management
Boasting an impressive 4.8 GPA, Kennedy is first in his class and is his high school’s valedictorian. This spring, he will receive his Advanced Honors Diploma and gain recognition from the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism and the National Academy Foundation. Kennedy plans to pursue a career in hospitality and work for Caesars or MGM International. Kennedy has a philanthropic heart and has already volunteered over 500 hours of community service back to events and projects that benefit the Las Vegas community. He has been awarded the 2017 Nevada DECA Student of the Year, 2017 Nevada DECA State Championship: Hospitality & Tourism Operations Research Written Event, and the 2016 Golden Nugget Las Vegas Internship Innovation Plan Grant Recipient.
Monica Corral
High School: Northwest Career and Tech Academy
University: University of Nevada Las Vegas
Major: Hospitality Management
Achieving an impressive 4.326 GPA, Monica will continue her studies at UNLV this fall with the ultimate goal of becoming a General Manager at a five-star hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Monica will graduate from NWCTA with advanced honors and has had perfect attendance for the last three years. She believes in the value of community service and hopes to one day give back to students like herself.
Noe Martinez-Alvarez
High School: Cheyenne High School
University: University of Nevada Las Vegas
Major: Hospitality Management
Minor: Culinary
Noe currently holds an outstanding 4.7 GPA, ranks first in his class, and will be his school’s valedictorian in May. In addition to serving as his high school’s volunteer sous chef, he participates in S.A.V.E., Skills USA, and the Chess Club. He has helped his fellow peers at Cheyenne High School campaign against violence and bullying, volunteered at soup kitchens, and has raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society and UNICEF. Noe hopes to one day open a successful restaurant that helps give back to the community.
Rocio Vasquez
High School: Southwest Career and Technical Academy
University: University of Nevada Las Vegas
Major: Hospitality Management
Minor: Business Administration
Rocio is an enthusiastic young woman with a remarkable 3.99 GPA and plans to study hospitality management and minor in business administration in the fall. Rocio currently works at the Excalibur and hopes to one day work in hotel administration. She is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and will graduate with an advanced honors diploma. Rocio is a member of her high school DECA program and has volunteered for Three Square, Family Promise of Las Vegas, and the LDS Storehouse.
This year we received applications from schools around the Las Vegas valley including: Liberty High School, Chaparral High School, West Career and Technical Academy, Valley High School, Cheyenne High School, South East Career and Technical Academy, Foothill High School, North West Career and Technical Academy, Silverado High School, South West Career and Technical Academy, Durango High School, and College of Southern Nevada High School.
ECF’S 2nd ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC
Red Rock Country Club’s private Mountain Course hosted our 2nd Annual Golf Classic on May 8th and began with breakfast provide by Sambalatte Torrefazione, a putting contest, and shotgun start. Ken Johnson, Michael Kennedy, Luiz Oliveira, and Travis Lunn, along with ECF graduateClaudia Soler for volunteering at the tournament. A special thanks to ECF board: Sean DiCicco, Kevin Ball, Craig Gilbert, Jim Laughlin, David Suppe, Christopher Bond, Mike Olsen, Joe Romano and Chantelle Mark for participating in the tournament.
Thank you to our 2017 Golf Classic Sponsors:
MAY/JUNE WINE OF THE MONTH PROMOTION
AMAZON SMILE
Need an excuse to shop? Go to http://smile.amazon.com/ch/88-0514126 and bookmark this link so all eligible shopping will benefit Epicurean Charitable Foundation.
STUDENT UPDATES
Candace Kozell will be interning at Hotel Lenhart in Bemus Point, NY
Melanie Saucedo was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society
Daniela Sanchez is graduating Cum Laude
BOARD UPDATES
Congratulations ECF Board of Director, David Suppe, Director of Hotel Operations of Platinum Hotel on his Humanitarian Award from Marcus Corporation!
For more information, please contact Melissa Arias at 702.932.5098, melissa@ecflv.org or visit the ECF website at www.ecflv.org.
