AAUW-SC-CB 2024 San Juan Hills High School Scholarship Award

Submitted by Teress Weber, Scholarship Committee Member

The SJHHS Scholarship Committee (Audie Sturla, Chair and members Jeannette Pease, Kay Zoltan, Arlene Hecht, and Teress Weber) for the American Association of University Women is proud to announce the selection of KATE POINTER, a student from San Juan Hills High School, as its recipient of its 2024 AAUW College Scholarship. AAUW continues to invest in opportunities for San Juan Hills High School Senior Women to continue their education at a 4-year college. Our Scholarship Committee found this se-lection to be challenging because the eight women that we considered all had excellent credentials, motivation, and scholarship. The teachers and administrators from San Juan Hills High School should be congratulated on their excellent support of these women.

This AAUW scholarship, valued at $2,000, will be used by Kate as she pursues her education at the University of York, United Kingdom, where she has been accepted. The University of York is one of the top schools in the world of Archeology and Heritage. Her dream is to continue her education to receive a doctorate in Archeology. Kate is a serious student/participant in archeology. Her fascination with archeology began when her grandparents gave her a membership to Bower’s Museum where she attended monthly lectures for years. At the age of 10, she was asked to give a 20-minute lecture beside one of her heroes, Dr. Kara Cooney, on the future of archeology for the Bowers Museum Archeology Lecture Series. She received a standing ovation for her lecture and her accompanying power point presentation on LIDAR and ground penetrating radar! Kate’s high school graduation gift was a six-week trip to Egypt, Jordan, and Israel during the summer of 2023. In Petra, Kate spent a month living among the Bedouin where she learned Bedoul Bedouin history. Kate is aware that archeology is a male-dominated world, but she takes every opportunity to listen to female archeologists. She hopes to be a role model for future women who wish to enter this field.

In addition to Kate’s excellent grades and being chosen to be on the Principal’s Honor Role for four years, she has been an asset in her community by serving as youth leader in Mariners’ Sea Scouts where she has participated since the age of 12. She has been a volunteer with the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association for three years and has assisted with the annual Swallows Day Parade (Fiesta de Las Golondrinas). She has been employed as a Youth Sailing Instructor with Westwind Sailing in Dana Point Harbor since 2021. South Orange County Community College granted Kate an Associate in Arts Degree in 12/20/23 with a Major in Anthropology, and she graduated Summa Cum Laude.

We are proud to award this scholarship to KATE POINTER—WE ARE SURE THAT WE WILL BE READING ABOUT KATE IN THE FU-TURE!