Sixteen local high school graduates will be heading to college this fall with some extra help from the Rotary Club of Forest Grove.

The local service organization last week informed students in Forest Grove, Banks and Gaston that they would be receiving scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 to help with their first year of college.

The students, who demonstrated both academic achievement and community service, will be heading to a variety of schools — from Pacific University and Portland Community College to the University of Oregon and Harvard University.

This year’s recipients are:

Forest Grove High School
Abigail Aguirre – attending Santa Clara Univ.
McKenzie Calvert – attending Oregon State Univ.
Elizabeth Hertel – attending Linfield College
Murimi Nyamu – attending Harvard Univ.
Edgar Sanchez Fausto – attending Pacific Univ.
Hannah Schields – attending Dixie State Univ.
Ronald Thompson – attending Oregon State Univ.

Banks High School
Aubrey Kimmel – attending Pacific Univ.
Jaron Malcom – attending Univ. of Oregon
Lane Meeuwsen – attending Western Oregon Univ.
Ariel Slifka – attending Oregon State Univ.
Cassilyn Streblow – attending Oregon State Univ.

Gaston High  School
Carmen Aranda-Garcia – attending Oregon State Univ.
Ian Mann – attending Oregon State Univ.
Connor Matrisciano – attending Oregon State Univ.
Harrison Morgan – attending Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison

Funds for the annual scholarship come from the Rotary Club’s classic car show, the Forest Grove Concours d’Elegance, which is held on the campus of Pacific University on the third Sunday of July. This year’s event will be held on Sun., July 17.

Since its inception in 1973, the annual celebration of automotive excellence has raised more than $1 million for scholarships and support to community projects. This year’s scholarship funds were augmented by a generous donation from the Knights of Pythias, a fraternal organization devoted to promoting friendship, charity and benevolence.

Over the years, the Rotary club has helped nearly 750 students attend college.

“My Rotary Scholarship helped me tremendously,” says Elena Torry-Schrag, who graduated from Forest Grove High School in 2013.   Now at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., Torry-Schrag says the scholarship reduced the amount of money she had to borrow her freshman year.

“This year will be my last at Macalester,” said Torry-Schrag, who is hoping to find a job helping special needs students. “As I go out into the world, I will always remember the honor I felt when I received my Rotary Scholarship.”