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Columbus, Rice students awarded Massey scholarship

March 20, 2019 - 00:00
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    Recipients of the prestigious Elizabeth Shatto Massey Endowed Scholarship have been announced. These full ride academic scholarships pay for all tuition, books, fees and computers for the full four years of college at the University of Texas. Maria Samaniego of Rice Consolidated High School and Maison Schobel of Columbus High School are the recipients for 2019.

Recipients of the prestigious Elizabeth Shatto Massey Endowed Scholarship have been announced. These full ride academic scholarships pay for all tuition, books, fees and computers for the full four years of college at the University of Texas.

Maria Samaniego of Rice Consolidated High School and Maison Schobel of Columbus High School are the recipients for 2019.

Maria Samaniego is the daughter of Jose and Bellanira Samaniego, Eagle Lake. While attending Rice Consolidated High School, Maria was a member of the National Honor Society, Anchor Club and participated in UIL Academics for Mathematics. Maria is a member of the Mighty Raider Band serving the Band Council as secretary in addition to being the flute section leader the past two years. Her freshman and sophomore year she participated in UIL Solo and Ensemble receiving superior ratings.

Maria has been a varsity cross country runner for four years and has qualified for regionals for three consecutive years. While being involved in her school she has maintained honor student status and in is in the top two percent of her class. She will be the first generation of her family to attend college.

Maria enjoys volunteering in the community, whether it be at the Wintermann Library, the Eagle Lake Nursing Home, or for the Parish of the Nativity youth group. In addition to these activities, she works as a cashier at Brookshire Brothers in Eagle Lake.

After graduation, Maria plans to attend The University of Texas in Austin and major in Applied Learning and Development for Early Childhood through sixth grade as a Bilingual Generalist.

Maison Schobel is the daughter of Ryan and Andrea Schobel of Columbus. While attending Columbus High School, Maison was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Science Club, and the UIL Academic Team.

Maison competed on many varsity sports teams, including softball and golf for four years, basketball for three years, swimming for two years and cross country for one year. In addition to her extracurricular activities, high academic achievement has always remained a priority, and Maison is on track to graduate in the top two percent of her class.

Maison attended Saint Anthony Catholic School and is an active member of the St. Anthony Parish. She also works for her family’s restaurant as a cashier as well as babysitting for family and friends.

After graduation, Maison plans to attend The University of Texas in Austin and major in Applied Learning and Development with hopes of adding a double major in business.

The Elizabeth Shatto Massey Scholarship is permanently endowed at The University of Texas at Austin. These scholarships are for Colorado County undergraduate students seeking teaching certification for a career in education.

Over the past twenty years, sixteen outstanding Colorado County students have received these scholarships and without exception they have all graduated with honors from The University of Texas. Four of the students have graduated with highest honors and five with high honors. All have brought significant credit to themselves, their family and the high schools of Colorado County. Six of the prior recipients also attended St Michael Catholic School in Weimar or St. Anthony Catholic School in Columbus before their high school career. The two current scholarship recipients are Abigail Kleimann and Kyndall Wick who will both receive their degrees in May and graduate with high honors.

These permanently endowed scholarship funds were established by Elizabeth Shatto Massey and Hill Bank and Trust Co. of Weimar, which is owned by Mrs. Massey and her Family. Elizabeth Massey received her Bachelor of Science degree in education from UT in 1961 and taught for five years in the public schools of Ithaca, New York and Austin, Texas. She has received The Distinguished Alumnus Award and The Presidential Citation Award, which are the two absolute highest honors bestowed on any alumnus at The University of Texas. Mrs. Massey also received the first ever awarded Distinguished Alumnus Award from Columbus High School.