District 6 Students Awarded Prestigious Boettcher and Daniels Scholarships

A Greeley West High School student is one of fifty students in the state of Colorado to receive the prestigious Boettcher Scholarship, and three other District 6 students have been named Daniels Fund Scholars.

Sofia Vasquez was named a Boettcher Scholar in April. The journey to the scholarship began in a public library. Sofia recalls spending hours of her childhood with her father at the local library, igniting a passion for social justice.

When a fire destroyed her home during her freshman year, Sofia experienced devastating material and emotional loss. She lived through unstable housing and relied on the generosity of the community and organizations like the Red Cross for basic necessities. The fire sparked The Supply Box Initiative. 

“My nonprofit reflects the fire and my heart. It’s my way of giving back to my community.”

The Supply Box Initiative provides hygiene products, clothing, shoes, feminine products, and backpacks to the homeless population. Sofia and her mother personally give these products to the homeless population. Currently, the organization is undergoing the process of formally becoming a 501c3.

Sofia’s post-secondary education plans include studying Socio-Legal Studies at either the University of Denver or the University of Colorado. After college, she hopes to pursue law and run for Congress, where she hopes to make an even greater impact.

Boettcher Scholars receive a fixed amount of $20,000 per year for four years to use at a Colorado institution of higher education. Boettcher Scholars can also qualify for additional tuition reimbursements from the college or university they attend. Since 1952, the Boettcher Foundation has awarded over $120 million in scholarships. Over 2,000 students apply for the distinguished scholarship every year.

Nadia Adam of Greeley West High School, along with Bryan Perez-Ramos and Palmer Nemec of Greeley Central High School, have been named Daniels Scholars for 2026. Daniels Scholars receive full cost of attendance at partner schools, or up to $100,000 at other schools across the United States. Daniels Scholars may use their scholarship at any accredited non-profit college or university in the United States. Students are selected for their strength of character, leadership potential, commitment to serving the community, and academic potential.

Nadia and Bryan both plan to continue their education at the University of Colorado Boulder, where Nadia plans to major in political science and economics and then pursue law school, and Bryan hopes to work in the growing tech industry by pursuing a computer engineering degree.

Palmer was heavily involved in the Greeley Central High School Arts Magnet program and will pursue a degree in Fine Arts in Musical Theatre at Elon University, with a goal of performing on the West End or Broadway one day.  

All three Daniels Scholars mentioned the sense of community felt as a District 6 student. “What I have loved most about District 6 is the close-knit community,” said Bryan.  

Palmer echoed, “I am someone who loves to be involved in everything I can, and Central has been the perfect place to do that. It’s the kind of school where every student can find a place to belong.”

As a District 6 student for all of her academic career, Nadia credits D6 for helping shape her into a more thoughtful, driven, and motivated person.  “I am very proud of how much I have grown and will take every lesson I’ve learned into my future,” she said. 

Since 2000, the Fund has invested nearly $440 million in scholarship programs, including scholarships awarded to more than 5,600 Daniels Scholars.  This year, the foundation awarded 205 scholarships in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.