2023 Changemaker Scholarship
Elliott Jochem
2023 Committed Scholarship
Jennifer Lara-Reyna
2023 Denise Martinez Scholarship
Karen Medina-Martinez
2023 Denise Martinez Scholarship
Kira Saathoff
2023 Ambition Scholarship
Emmy Vallin
2023 Ambition Scholarship
Lesly Felix-Alcaraz
2023 Ambition Scholarship
Jatziry Lugo
2023 Ambition Scholarship
Caitlin Russell
2023 Ambition Scholarship
Abigail Lopez
2023 Ambition Scholarship
Mayte Heredia
2023 Ambition Scholarship
Zuridey Vazquez-Lopez
2023 Ambition Scholarship
Berenice Gallardo-Lopez
2023 Ambition Scholarship
Althealani Crews
ScholarshipsThe MCF believes quality education is the best investment in life, for ourselves and for our children. The MCF offers numerous annual scholarships to support local students and Martis Camp Ambassadors in achieving their education goals. These scholarships are awarded by MCF Board members serving on the Scholarship Committee and include Denise Martinez, MCF, Ambition, Stepping Stone, Committed and Changemaker scholarships as well as Martis Camp Ambassador Scholarships for eligible Martis Camp employees and their children. Read on for more information about funding, awards, recent recipients and guidelines for applying.
The MCF Scholarship Committee meets annually in May to determine college scholarship recipients for the upcoming school year. Applications are screened by the Truckee Tahoe Community Scholarship Committee which recommends qualified students for MCF review. Martis Camp Ambassador Scholarship applications are evaluated quarterly, on an ongoing basis.
MCF 2023 Scholarship Recipients
MCF congratulates our 2023 Scholarship recipients who have incredible accomplishments, leadership, character and involvement with the community:
Elliot Jochem, $60,000 Changemaker Scholarship
Elliot will attend Columbia as an engineering major. He is more recent resident to the Tahoe community, as his family lost their home during the Caldor fire, necessitating two relocations in his junior year.
Jennifer Lara-Reyna, $60,000 Committed Scholarship
Jennifer considers her superpower as being a mentor to others, and plans to major in psychology at Sonoma State University, returning to the community as a student counselor or therapist. In her family, she is a first-time high school graduate, and first to attend college.
Karen Medina-Martinez, $20,000 Denise Martinez Scholarship
Karen will attend University of George Washington. Karen considers sports a defining element of her life, and has been on basketball, soccer, and softball teams, despite injures sometimes sidelining her. She states: “playing sports is where I learned about leadership and how driven I am as a person.”
Kira Saathoff, $20,000 Denise Martinez Scholarship
Kira is an employee of Martis Camp, and has a passion around languages and dance. She considers her work ethic one of her strengths and took advantage many AP classes are her high school. She will attend UC Santa Cruz.
Emmy Vallin, $20,000 Ambition Scholarship
Emmy will attend CSU Long Beach or UC Riverside. She is from a single parent household and has many duties beyond just those within her high school. She attended Indiana University for an entrepreneurship club and summer intensive where she did a cookie challenge, and wants to be a future entrepreneur!
Lesly Felix-Alcaraz, $20,000 Ambition Scholarship
Lesly will attend UNR and study biology. She is passionate about Women’s Health, and is choosing UNR to remain near family, given that she was raised in a single parent household. She has been an advisory board member of UC Davis’ Tahoe Environmental Research Center.
Jatziry Lugo, $20,000 Ambition Scholarship
Jatziry plans to attend Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo. She would like to be an elementary school teacher and return to the Tahoe area.
Caitlin Russell, $20,000 Ambition Scholarship
Caitlin will attend Humboldt State, and will be a first generation college student. She plans to be a fire fighter after she completes college. She completed Truckee High School’s Emergency Response program, Cal Fire Camp Cinder, and First Alarm girls fire camp.
Abigail Lopez, $20,000 Ambition Scholarship
Abigail will attend Wesleyan. She has a passion around neuroscience. She has done extensive volunteer work for the special education community, whom she feels is often ignored, and has been part of her school’s Peer Mentoring Program.
Mayte Heredia, $20,000 Ambition Scholarship
Mayte is a first generation college student, and will attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She has been involved in sports medicine and received a CPR certification. She plans to study (eventually) medicine and/or healthcare related fields as she wants “to help others in my community.”
Zuridey Vazquez-Lopez, $20,000 Ambition Scholarship
Zuridey will attend UC Berkeley. She considers her superpower to be her ability to be resourceful, her curiosity for learning, and her leadership skills. She would like to study business in college.
Berenice Gallardo-Lopez, $20,000 Ambition Scholarship
Berenice will attend CSU Long Beach, and would like to study criminology. She considers her academic strength collaboration. She has worked throughout her high school to not only support herself, but her brother as well.
Althealani Crews, $20,000 Ambition Scholarship
Althealani has an interest in becoming a psychologist and will attend CSU Long Beach. She is trilingual in English, Indonesian and Javanese. She has conversational skills also in French, Mandarin, and American Sign Language.
Denise Martinez Scholarship
The Denise Martinez Scholarship honors the spirit of Martis Camp’s first head golf professional and provides assistance for deserving youth who will be pursuing post-secondary education at an accredited school. The award is based on merit and need. The scholarship is awarded to students who embody Denise’s qualities – hard work, fair play, kindness and integrity. The scholarship is paid annually for up to four years. If funds allow, $500-$1,000 awards may be made to individuals on an annual basis. Funds are raised primarily at The Martinez Member-Ambassador golf tournament. Additional funds may be raised from other activities held at Martis Camp.
Denise Martinez Scholarship Recipients
2023: Karen Medina-Martinez, Kira Saathoff
2022: Martin Herrera, Quinn Kommenhoek
2021: Emma Purdy, Whitney Wingard
2020: Jayda Walsh, Benito Gonzalez
2019: Aidan Kane, Drew Wingard
2018: Sophia Curtis, Jacob Inclan
2017: Amanda Rae
2016: Karina Nuñez
2015: Phoebe Rogers
2014: Taylor Pugh
2013: Amanda Stewart
2012: Savannah Graham
Applicant Guidelines
- Applicant must be a high school senior enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited school in the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD).
- Applicant must have a minimum GPA of 3.0,and plan on attending school in the fall of the year the scholarship is awarded.
- Applicant’s family household income will be considered, and tax returns must be provided upon request.
- Extra-curricular activities should be noted, and up to three letters of recommendations from teachers, coaches, employers, etc., will be considered.
- Applicants must embody the ideals and qualities of Denise Martinez: hard work, fair play, kindness and integrity.
- Preference may be given to students who are employees or caddies of Martis Camp, or whose parents are employees of Martis Camp. Preference may also be given to students who play golf on a team or as a pastime. (Preference will be considered after merit and need are assessed and weighed against other applicants.)
Martis Camp Foundation Scholarship
Martis Camp Foundation Scholarships are valued at $7,500-$15,000 annually for a total of $30,000-$60,000. They are awarded to local high school students based on academics, financial need, extracurricular activities and likelihood to make a difference in the world.
Martis Camp Foundation Scholarship Recipients
2021: Tony Mora-Garcilazo, Carly Davis, Carina Solis
2020: Nicole Heredia, Octavio Diaz
2019: Jacquelyn Campos-Araujo, Zach Larson, Jillian Ferre
2018: Mitzi Ayala, Abraham Gonzales
Martis Camp Foundation Scholarship Applicant Guidelines
- Applicants must be a student from Truckee/North Tahoe high schools.
- Minimum GPA of 3.6.
- Applicants must have demonstrated leadership, be involved in the community and have extra-curricular activities.
- Applicant’s family household income will be taken into consideration.
- In addition to the personal essay already submitted, the applicant must provide an essay on how they think they can make a difference in the world.
- The scholarship will depend upon the college/university attended. For a California State University (Chico, Sacramento, etc.) they will receive a $30,000 scholarship over four years ($7,500 per year). For a University of California (Cal, Davis, etc.) or one of the top 50 colleges/universities, as ranked by U. S. News and World Reports, they will receive up to $60,000 (not to exceed tuition, room & board) over four years ($15,000 per year).
- Candidates must submit all financial offers previously received. Scholarships will be granted based upon overall financial aid already granted.
- There is no obligation to award funds if suitable candidates are not found.
Ambition Scholarship
The MCF established the Ambition Scholarship in 2019, initiated by an anonymous donor with a passion to support foster children. Ambition Scholarships are payable at $20,000 over 4 years. They are awarded to students based on merit and need, who demonstrate a desire to succeed and make a difference in the world. Preference is given to a foster child, or a child from a single-parent home or from a family with great financial need.
Ambition Scholarship Recipients
2023: Emmy Vallin, Lesly Felix-Alcaraz, Jatziry Lugo, Caitlin Russell, Abigail Lopez, Mayte Heredia, Zuridey Vazquez-Lopez, Berenice Gallardo-Lopez, Althealani Crews
2022: Tiana Sisto, Sonny Strusinski, Juan Camacho-Morales, Brooke Saathoff, James Martinez Vichao, Katelyn Conner
2021: Stephanie Sarabia, Alan Cardenas, Lola Tieslau
2020: Ilse Ruiz-Castro, Anaka Hudson, Jaquelyne Velazquez-Gutierrez, Chloe Schaecher
2019: Arturo Colmenares, Dillon Hudson, Brian Wolfe
Ambition Scholarship Applicant Guidelines
- Applicants must be a student from Truckee/North Tahoe high schools.
- Minimum GPA of 3.6.
- Applicants must have demonstrated leadership, be involved in the community and have extra-curricular activities.
- Applicant’s family household income will be taken into consideration.
- In addition to the personal essay already submitted, the applicant must provide an essay on how they think they can make a difference in the world.
- Candidates must submit all financial offers previously received. Scholarships will be granted based upon overall financial aid already granted.
- There is no obligation to award funds if suitable candidates are not found.
Stepping Stone Scholarship
The Stepping Stone Scholarship is a $40,000 scholarship paid over 4 years. The award is offered to a first-generation college student or a student who comes from an enlisted family and who has a demonstrated need for financial assistance with college.
Stepping Stone Scholarship Recipients
2022: Valeria Martin-Gomez
2021: Madeline Hopwood, Jacqueline Garcia
Stepping Stone Scholarship Applicant Guidelines
- Applicants must be a student from Truckee/North Tahoe high schools.
- Minimum GPA of 3.2.
- Applicants must have demonstrated leadership, be involved in the community and have extra-curricular activities.
- Must have a written letter of recommendation from a teacher or member of the clergy.
- Applicant’s family household income will be taken into consideration.
- Candidates must submit all financial offers previously received. Scholarships will be granted based upon overall financial aid already granted.
- There is no obligation to award funds if suitable candidates are not found.
Committed Scholarship
The Committed Scholarship is a $60,000 scholarship paid over 4 years. The award is granted to a first-generation college student. Priority is given to a student who grew up in a family in which English was not the first language spoken at home. The student must have a desire and plan to return to the North Tahoe area when they graduate to give back to the community.
Committed Scholarship Recipients
2023: Jennifer Lara-Reyna
2022: Jace Hoffmann
2021: Tony Mora-Garcilazo
Committed Scholarship Applicant Guidelines
- Applicants must be a student from Truckee/North Tahoe high schools.
- Applicants must have demonstrated leadership, be involved in the community and have extra-curricular activities.
- Applicant’s family household income will be taken into consideration.
- Candidates must submit all financial offers previously received. Scholarships will be granted based upon overall financial aid already granted.
- There is no obligation to award funds if suitable candidates are not found.
Changemaker Scholarship
The Changemaker Scholarship is granted to an exceptional student who demonstrates drive, vision and the potential to succeed. Applicants have been accepted to a top-tier college or university but don’t have the wherewithal to attend. Applicants may also be the first in their family to attend college or come from a middle-income family that will find it difficult to send their child to college. A student who is attending a top 50 school will be eligible for a 4-year $60,000 scholarship, or a student attending a California state university is eligible to receive $30,000 over 4 years.
Changemaker Scholarship Recipients
2023: Elliott Jochem
2021: Carly Davis, Karina Solis
Changemaker Scholarship Applicant Guidelines
- Applicants must be a student from Truckee/North Tahoe high schools.
- Applicants must have demonstrated leadership, be involved in the community and have extra-curricular activities.
- Applicant’s family household income will be taken into consideration.
- Candidates must submit all financial offers previously received. Scholarships will be granted based upon overall financial aid already granted.
- There is no obligation to award funds if suitable candidates are not found.
Martis Camp Ambassador Scholarships
Martis Camp Ambassador Scholarships provide continuing education, trade school and college tuition assistance to eligible Martis Camp Ambassadors. In addition, they provide Pre-K through 12th grade tuition assistance and tutoring awards to eligible dependents of Ambassadors.
Scholarship Applications
You may download Ambassador scholarship applications here:
2024 MCF Ambassador Scholarship Intro • Spanish Translation
2024 Ambassador Continuing Education & Tutoring Award • Spanish Translation
2024 Children of Ambassadors PreK-12th Grade Scholarship • Spanish Translation
2024 Children of Ambassadors College Scholarship • Spanish Translation
Funding
Provided by the Martis Camp Foundation.
Awards
Continuing Education & Tutoring: Up to $3,500 for Ambassadors and their children
PreK-12th Grade Tuition Assistance: Up to $5,000 per year for children of Ambassadors
College Tuition Assistance: Up to $5,000 per year for children of Ambassadors
Each Ambassador is limited to a lifetime maximum of $25,000 for scholarship awards.
Cycle
Applications and information are available to all Ambassadors throughout the calendar year. Applications are accepted quarterly with deadlines on March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1.
Submitting an Application
Applications may be submitted in English or Spanish. Submit applications either by PDF to mcf@martiscamp.org or by hard copy to the Camp Concierge at the Camp Lodge, in a sealed envelope addressed to MCF Ambassador Scholarship Committee. Applicants are notified within one month of the deadline for the quarter in which they have applied.
2022 Ambassador Scholarship Recipients
Thanks to your generous support, we approved 19 Ambassador Scholarships in 2022 totaling $65,000!
- Ashley is finishing up pre-requisites at Truckee Meadows Community College so she can attend a nursing program.
- Jake received scholarships to help his two children attend Tahoe Expedition Academy.
- Amy is continuing her nursing degree at Westminster College.
- Devon is continuing his education at Chico State.
- Jason is continuing his education at Cal Maritime.
- Ember is taking online classes at ASU.
- Lidia received a scholarship for her daughter to attend a private pre-school as well as a scholarship for herself to continue her education at Sierra College.
- Jaime received a certificate from California Association of Community Managers.
- Juan is just one semester away from earning his degree in turfgrass management from Penn State World Campus.
- Stephanie is continuing her education at University of Nevada, Reno.
- Jose received a scholarship for his daughter to take classes at the University of Nevada, Reno.
- Linnea is taking classes at the University of Tennessee.
- Uriel is furthering his education at Truckee Meadows Community College.
- Connor received scholarships to help both of his children attend private school.
- Stephanie is continuing her education at Truckee Meadows Community College.
- CJ is taking real estate classes.
Thanks to your generous support, we approved 12 Ambassador Scholarships in 2021 totaling $55,000!
Mike: tuition assistance for attendance at Truckee Meadows Community College
Abigail: tuition assistance for attendance at San Jose State University
Juan: tuition assistance for Penn State’s online Turfgrass Management Program
Devon: tuition assistance for attendance at California State University, Chico
Jaime: continuing education assistance for certification with the Community Association Institute
Kathy: school tuition assistance for her daughter
Mia: tuition assistance for attendance at San Jose State University
Ethan: tuition assistance for attendance at Sierra College
Justin: tuition assistance for attendance at Northwest Lineman College
Lidia: school tuition assistance for her daughter
Lynn: tuition assistance for both of her daughters to attend medical school
Nayeli: continuing education assistance to become an aesthetician at International Academy of Style
2020 Ambassador Scholarship Recipients
Thanks to your generous support, we approved 15 Ambassador Scholarships in 2020 totaling more than $55,000!
Catelyn: tuition assistance for attendance at University of Oregon
Lorraine: tuition assistance for her son at Discovery Preschool
Michele: tuition assistance for his son’s education as a personal trainer
Emry: continuing education assistance for personal trainer program
Abigail: continuing education assistance for SJSU
Kristen: continuing education assistance for UNR, studying Psychology
Mike: continuing education assistance in computer science at TMCC
Ariana: continuing education assistance for Nutrition program at Bauman College
Kelly: tuition assistance for her son at Discovery Preschool
Gail: continuing education assistance for studies as NATouch Practitioner
Lynn: tuition assistance for her daughters in medical school at UNR
Michelle: continuing education assistance for Physical Therapy Assistant Program courses at TMCC
Camille: continuing education assistance for nursing prerequisites at TMCC
Emily: continuing education assistance for nursing prerequisites at TMCC
Malenie: continuing education assistance for BA in Special Education at Western Governors University
Applicant Eligibility & Guidelines
- Courses eligible for Martis Camp job-related educational assistance are not supported.
- Ambassadors must have been employed by Martis Camp for at least one year and have worked a minimum of 700 hours as of the application deadline. Martis Camp Ambassadors include ambassadors who provide services for Martis Camp Club and Martis Camp Community Association.
- We do not provide support for travel expenses, daycare, extracurricular activities, sports programs, etc.
- For 2024, Ambassadors earning more than a combined household annual gross income of $188,534 are not eligible. Annual gross income is defined as the total of all forms of gross income, prior to deductions, including pre-tax adjustments or deductions, contributions to retirement accounts or cafeteria plans, i.e., social security wages per W-2 form, and includes any self-employment or rental property income.
- Awards are based on financial need (tuition costs, income, size of household or individual circumstances).
- For 7th-12th grade students, academic standing, outstanding achievement and community service are also taken into consideration.
- Candidates must be strongly committed and have in place a well thought-out educational vision (for their dependents if they are applying for funds for them) and complete their goals in a timely manner.
- College scholarships are available to those who are not eligible for the Denise Martinez Scholarship.
- Applications accepted quarterly by March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1. Applicants are notified within one month of the deadline for the quarter in which they applied.
- The Scholarship Committee will thoroughly review all applications and make recommendations based on need, personal statement, and academic goals.
- Applications for continuing education and tutoring under $1,000 will be considered throughout the year, if funds are available.
- If an urgent need for a child’s tutoring or a continuing education course arises outside the normal, quarterly application deadlines, email mcf@martiscamp.org to inquire if an out-of-cycle application could be considered and explain why it is urgent.
- For college scholarships students will be required to maintain a 3.0 GPA and submit a letter to the MCF Board at the end of each school year with description of the most incredible thing they learned that year, as well as the most difficult thing they have had to overcome. Proof of enrollment is also required.
- Awards payable directly to educational institution upon receipt of official tuition statement. Awards do not cover after-school care, extracurricular activities, supplies or transportation costs.