Carson City Soroptimist honors high school senior girls and awards scholarships

Soroptimist International of Carson City honored the achievements of local high school seniors.

Carson City Soroptimist Girls of the Month are high school seniors selected for exemplary academic achievement, participation in school activities, and community service. Many of these girls have overcome adversity to become leaders in their schools and our community. Each girl joins decades of girls so honored and will have her name added to the plaques located in the entryway at Carson High School.
Ava Covington will receive the Soroptimist Girl of the Month Scholarship, after being selected as February's Girl of the Month. Ava is salutorian of her 2020 graduating class. She is also an officer of the National Honor Society and was a Junior Class Student Council Representative.

She is a member of the Philosophy Club, the Chess Club and the Poetry Club. Her volunteer activities include working at the Nevada State Museum inventorying artifacts and on the Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network at the Jack C Davis Observatory.

Ava also participated in a photography internship. Athletically, she participates in Cross Country and Track and Field. She will be studying geophysics and astronomy at UNR. Ava requested that this personal note be included: “I would like to acknowledge how fortunate I have been to have had caring and dedicated teachers, without whom I would not be where I am today.”

Soroptimist’s March Girl of the Month is Gloria Valdenegro. She has been president of the National Honor Society, a Blue Crew Leader and a member of Future Business Leaders of America. Gloria was Miss Carson City in 2019, named Miss Battle Born’s Outstanding Teen and an Ambassador for the Children’s Miracle Network. Her educational goals include attendance at UNR to become a kindergarten teacher with emphasis on English as a Second Language.

Our April Girl of the Month is Zion Belcastro. Zion has been secretary of Future Farmers of America and a volunteer with the Green House Project at Carson High School. She received a Community Service Award and Zion has demonstrated agricultural leadership in judging horses, poultry and livestock. She also participated in soccer. She plans to attend Truckee Meadows Community College or UNR to become a veterinarian.

Our Soroptimist May Girl of the Month is Karrina Ferris. She is a National Honor Society member and a Miss America Organization titleholder. Karrina is currently Miss Carson City 2020 and was named local Outstanding Teen 2016 through 2019. She received the Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Maker Award for raising funds for their hospitals. She is also on the Varsity Golf team. Karrina plans to study political science at UNR and continue on to law school. Her goal is to become a Representative in the House and ultimately run for President of the United States.

Soroptimist also offers a Sandy Howard Trade and Industry Scholarship to a woman who plans to follow a career path in Technology. Nanami Duncan, also a senior at Carson High School, was chosen for this honor. She is a member of the National Honor Society, a SkillsUSA Mobile Robotics State Silver and Bronze Champion and the first Dean’s List Award Winner. She is a founding member of the Sierra Nevada Junior Optimist League and has held offices each year. She is also president of the varsity swim team and a USA Swimming Nevada State Champion Qualifier. Nanami plans to attend UNR to pursue a degree in Computer Science and Engineering.

Soroptimist International is a global volunteer organization working to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.

The Carson City club provides education and training scholarships for local women, grant funding for local organizations, and breast cancer screenings for under-insured women. For information about Soroptimist in Carson City, go to http://www.sicarsoncity.org.