Yacht Club awards scholarship to CL graduate

BY Betty Williams

The Canyon Lake Yacht Club awarded a $1,000 scholarship to recent high school graduate and Canyon Lake resident, Donica Loney at its June pot-luck scholarship meeting at Roadrunner Park. Donica opened the meeting by singing “The Climb” and later read the essay she wrote for the scholarship application.

Donica was one of eight applicants who applied for the club’s scholarship. “We had some great applicants this year, but Donica stood out among the applicants,” said Scholarship Committee Chair Karen Doherty.

Donica, a recent graduate from Santa Rosa Academy, plans to attend California Baptist University in the fall. Her declared major is health sciences with a concentration in pre-physician assistant studies. Upon completion of the program, Donica hopes to attend Loma Linda Medical University. Donica said she has dreamed of becoming a surgeon since she was very young.

While at Santa Rosa Academy, Donica was a captain of the Collision Crew Hip-Hop dance team. She was invited by the dean of students to act as founder and executor of The Upstanders, a group of qualified students promoting anti-bullying. She served as an officer for S.T.A.T. U.S. (Student’s Taking Action to Terminate Unlawful Substances). Donica was a member of Leadership Class and helped to facilitate a number of school events, including the school’s first homecoming half-time show. She was also a member of Student Venture Christian Fellowship. An accomplished singer and guitarist, Donica sang at numerous school events and sang “The Climb” at her high school graduation. She was also selected as co-salutatorian at the 2017 Santa Rosa Academy graduation ceremony.

Donica is a member of AWANA, a youth group bible study program, and was recently awarded the Citation Scholarship award after completing 12 years, ten bible study books and volunteering weekly as a leader for the younger club members.

Her community services included membership in the California Scholarship Federation, an organization consisting of students living in California who possess high standards in academics, and has served as a juror at the Southwest Valley Youth Court. She has assisted in overseeing a large community service venture in support of Samaritan’s Purse promoting Operation Christmas Child, an organization that gathers shoeboxes of necessities and toys for the less fortunate at Christmas. To help her prepare for her goals in medicine, Donica volunteered at Rancho Family Medical Group.

Donica and her family are founding members of Canyon Lake’s Showcal Skiers where she has performed in many shows, incorporating human pyramids and water ski stunts, for the community. In support of the first Flaunt It swivel ski competition to be hosted on the west coast, Donica competed in the 180 Division and was awarded second place.

In addition to the Yacht Club Scholarship award, Donica received scholarships from the Canyon Lake Woman’s Club, Canyon Lake Junior Women’s Club, USA Water Ski Foundation’s Tim Olson Memorial Scholarship, Menifee Valley Medical Center Auxiliary’s Darlene Bullock Memorial Scholarship and California Baptists University’s Trustee Merit Scholarship.

For more information about the Canyon Lake Yacht Club and its scholarship program, visit clyc2014.webs.com or call Commodore Dave Dain at 714-580-9358.