Scholarship winners will each receive a $1,000 scholarship toward their post-secondary education

Westlands Water District is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Westlands Scholarship. This Westlands Scholarship program celebrates the extraordinary accomplishments of 20 graduating seniors from Westside high schools and supports these exceptional young leaders in the next steps of their educational journey.

These inspiring scholarship recipients emerged from a competitive selection process that evaluated their academic records, leadership capabilities, community service, and career aspirations. Each winner represents the very best of our region’s emerging talent—bright minds poised to make significant contributions in their chosen fields.

“As we celebrate our 19th year of the Westlands Scholarship program, we’re incredibly proud to support these 20 exceptional students as they pursue their academic dreams,” said Allison Febbo, General Manager, Westlands Water District. “These scholarships represent our ongoing commitment to investing in the bright minds who will shape our region’s future. By reducing financial barriers to education, we hope to empower these talented young individuals to return and contribute to the prosperity of the Central Valley.”

Westlands congratulates the following 20 recipients of the 2025 Westlands Scholarship. Amongst our recipients we have future leaders in education, healthcare, business, and science.  Below are excerpts from each recipient’s application when asked about the importance of agriculture and water in the San Joaquin Valley.

Abigail Lee, Future Computer Scientist

Coalinga High School– Fresno State (CSU, Fresno)

“Agriculture has affected my life in more ways than I can count. It has influenced my upbringing, my perspective on work and education, and my future goals. Even if I do not end up working directly in this field, agriculture will always be part of who I am and where I come from.”

Angel Jimenez Farias, Future Public Relations Specialist

Lemoore High School – San Jose State University

“Throughout my life, agriculture has shaped my perspective on work, family, and community. Moving to Lemoore and seeing the impact of water on farming made me realize how important it is to protect water resources. Ensuring that water continues to flow to farms in California is essential to keeping agriculture alive and ensuring families, especially Hispanic workers like mine, can continue to rely on it for income.”

Bret Orton, Future Civil Engineer

Lemoore Middle College High School – Brigham Young University-Idaho

“Farming has been a cornerstone of my family’s success in California, shaping our past and guiding our future. It is not just a livelihood but a legacy—one that I am proud to be a part of and one that will likely continue for generations to come.”

Brynn Close, Future Agricultural Business Leader

Riverdale High School – CSU Bakersfield (California State University, Bakersfield)

“Once I reached high school, agriculture became more than just where I live, but how I live. Learning about agriculture and the connections that I have made in the last four years has made it one of the biggest things that have impacted my life as a young individual. Through the agricultural community, I know that any question I have can be answered through a phone call. What is so heartwarming about this community is that you are working with others to essentially provide for the world.”

Carlos Pizano Hernandez, Future Chemist

Riverdale High School – UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles)

“When I began doing research in a university lab through Project SEED, I realized just how far those early mornings in the fields had taken me. I was studying the effects of plasma on polymer surfaces, running experiments, and analyzing data. But the patience, focus, and persistence I needed there weren’t new to me. I’d learned them long before, packing grapes beside my mom.”

David Cox, Future Agricultural Business Leader

Riverdale High School – California Polytechnic State University

“Agriculture has had a profound impact on my life because it’s supported my family, allowed me to network with successful businesspeople from all over the state, and revealed to me that I would like to go into an agriculture career.”

Eliana Freitas, Future Physician’s Assistant

Lemoore High School – University of San Diego

“I have learned first-hand what it is like to have parents who rely on rain, prayers, and good people to work alongside. Over time it has become apparent that hard work, dedication, and faith are how goals are achieved.”

Gloria Mayenci Escobar, Future Agricultural Educator

Mendota High School – California State University, Fresno

“Growing up, I have witnessed how agriculture has evolved and advanced around my hometown, and I have learned how beneficial and important it is. All of this affected my way of viewing the agricultural industry and helped me find plenty of opportunities and pathways that it offers.”

Joanna Garcia, Future Human Biologist

Firebaugh High School – University of California, Davis

“Agriculture has taught me to be grounded, humble, and hardworking. It has given me a deep respect for labor and for the people who often go unseen but are the backbone of our food system. I carry that with me in everything I do.”

Juan Mendoza, Future Physical Therapist  

Tranquility High School – Fresno State (CSU, Fresno)

” Thousands of farms in the San Joaquin Valley support California’s economy and give agricultural workers jobs. Drought-related changes to water supplies result in fewer acres being grown, which lowers farmworkers’ incomes and gets rid of jobs. Furthermore, lower agricultural output may result in higher food costs, which would impact consumers throughout the state and globally.”

Keysi Lopez Gonzalez, Future Nurse

Mendota High School – Fresno State (CSU, Fresno)

“Agriculture has impacted my life physically and academically, but in the end, I have to give a huge thanks to agriculture because it taught me to always work hard no matter what.”

Luis Zarco, Future Mechanical Engineer

Riverdale High School – Fresno State (CSU, Fresno)

“Agriculture has made me who I am today and cemented the bonds in my local community. It’s not dirt and plants, it’s people, tradition, and growth. Among the vines of grapes and from the encouragement of neighbors, I’ve found purpose, yes, but more significantly, a sense of place like the roots we’ve grown over the years.”

Madison Ball, Future Agricultural Business Leader

Lemoore High School – Texas Tech University

“The crops planted here rely on essential water for their irrigation and sustainability. The area’s reliance on water from Westlands Water District could be the difference between a successful crop harvest and a farmer shutting down a generational family farm. Water is what makes this valley live.”

Melissa Ochoa Villegas, Future Architectural Engineer

Mendota High School – Fresno State (CSU, Fresno)

“Without agriculture, my parents wouldn’t have survived their journey here, and I wouldn’t have the opportunities I do today. Because of the doors agriculture has opened for my family, I’ve committed myself to giving back through my education.”

Monique Silva, Monique Silva, Future Nurse

Sierra Pacific High School – College of the Sequoias

“It was in the late 1980s that my grandparents made the difficult decision to leave their hometown of Irapuato, Mexico in pursuit of a better life, thus establishing our family roots in the Central Valley. As the child and granddaughter of first-generation immigrants, I am appreciative of the impact that agriculture has had on my family and how it has shaped the trajectory of my life.”

Samantha Garcia – Future Business Administrator

Avenal High School – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

“Agriculture is a very important part of our lives, it is a way that provides food on our table, supports people’s livelihood, and offers many diverse opportunities for growth economically. With all this being said I strongly believe that agriculture has affected my life positively and I am very thankful for it.”

Samantha Selliers – Future Agricultural Communications Specialist

Coalinga High School – Kansas State University

“Agriculture has shaped my identity, my future, and my purpose. What began as an unwanted class has become the foundation of my aspirations. I now know that agriculture is not just about crops and livestock—it is about leadership, education, and advocacy.”

Sophie Walker, Future Doctor

Coalinga High School – UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles)

“Communities like Coalinga and many others across the Central Valley depend on agriculture to survive. Without reliable access to water, farms can’t operate, jobs are lost, families face hardship, and opportunities begin to disappear. That’s why it’s so important for us to raise our voices, advocate for water rights, support our local farmers, and work together to ensure agriculture not only survives but continues to thrive.”

Stephanie Berber, Future Nurse

Firebaugh High School – UC Davis

“Agricultural water is at the heart of California’s economy. As someone who lives in Firebaugh California, a small town dependent on agriculture, irrigation is crucial to maintaining our livelihood. Firebaugh grows crops such as almonds, pistachios, tomatoes, cotton, and melons. We rely on a prosperous harvesting season for people in our community to receive the paychecks they need to support their families. The irony here is that Firebaugh gets very little rainfall due to the ongoing drought in California, leading to those hard-working agricultural workers receiving less financial support.”

Valerie Garcia, Future Ag Business Leader

Mendota High School – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

“Westland Water District has helped me and my family by conserving and managing the water needed to grow crops. Without this district, my dad would probably not have a job, because in this small town, agriculture is the main provider of jobs. Without having someone to manage the amount of water used, there would be tons of waste everywhere, and our small town would be gone forever. It would no longer be one of the best providers for cantaloupes, and many companies would have to shut down.”