2022 AlumKnights Scholarship Awards

The Del Norte AlumKnights® awarded 2022 Drawbridge to Success Scholarships of $1,000 to five students and two Diane Riley Erickson Nursing Scholarships valued at $10,000, with students receiving $1,000 in the first year and increasing amounts in years 2-4 if they continue pursuing their nursing degree. All are 2022 graduating seniors from Del Norte High School with a history of service to their school and community.


Drawbridge to Success Scholarship

The Drawbridge to Success Scholarship provides one year of support to graduating seniors who are interested in pursuing post-secondary education at a New Mexico institution of higher education and are able to demonstrate an extensive record of service, as exemplified by their participation in both school-based and community-based activities.


Photo of Isabel Marquerite Bliner-Yazzie
Isabel Marquerite Bliner-Yazzie
Percy Larrañaga Drawbridge to Success Scholarship

Attending New Mexico Tech

What was your most memorable experience as a student at Del Norte High School?
Probably when my Mesa team got to visit New Mexico Tech on a tour.

What do you intend to study at your college or university?
Engineering (maybe civil or environmental).

What do you want to do after you graduate from college?
Hopefully use my degree to help my people on the Navajo nation. There are some regions that don’t have running water or electricity still in 2022 so I want to help.


Photo of Taylor Burks
Taylor Burks
Percy Larrañaga Drawbridge to Success Scholarship

Attending New Mexico State University

What was your most memorable experience as a student at Del Norte High School?
My most memorable experience at Del Norte has been being a setter for the volleyball team all 4 years.

What do you intend to study at your college or university?
I intend on starting out studying Business.

What do you want to do after you graduate from college?
After college I intend to continue on to graduate school wherever I choose to get a Masters degree in hopes to start my own career in entrepreneurship.


Photo of Julie Dao
Julie Dao
Percy Larrañaga Drawbridge to Success Scholarship

Attending The University of New Mexico

What was your most memorable experience as a student at Del Norte High School?
My most memorable experiences at Del Norte High School were the school assemblies. I remember the assemblies specifically from freshman year where the gym was packed with people screaming and yelling to win the spirit stick. The amount of energy hyped up the crowd and created a spirited atmosphere. The school assemblies were fun to be a part of and fond memories to look back on.

What do you intend to study at your college or university?
At the University of New Mexico, I plan to study biology.

What do you want to do after you graduate from college?
After I graduate from college, I would like to find a good job and travel all around the world. My goal is to live life to the fullest and explore new and interesting hobbies.


Photo of Jaslin Milcarek
Jaslin Milcarek
Percy Larrañaga Drawbridge to Success Scholarship

Attending The University of New Mexico

What was your most memorable experience as a student at Del Norte High School?
One of my most memorable experiences as a student at Del Norte would be when my friends and I volunteered to operate the National Art Honor Society’s booth at the craft fair during my Senior year. It was an amazing experience being with my friends, selling art, and meeting so many new people! It was the first time I had ever done anything of this sort, and for all my worries, it turned out great! We raised money for our club and in that time also learned of really wonderful small business creators that were creating the most beautiful art! As an artist, it still is one of my favorite moments to look back on! It inspires me to try out new medias, and make art for others to see and enjoy!

What do you intend to study at your college or university?
At UNM, I intend to study computer science. This degree path really interests me, and this year I have even gotten experience with computer science in my AP class. It is proving to be an incredibly interesting subject! I am enjoying learning coding at school as well as at home and trying to create programs that I never could have done even a few months ago. It really makes me excited about the new things I am going to learn about this subject in college!

What do you want to do after you graduate from college?
After I graduate from college I plan to try to find a job in game development. I am very much looking forward to it and hopefully with my college education I will be a prepared and qualified candidate. For a while now game development has really interested me. I’ve been playing video games for so many years and they have brought me more joy than I could have imagined, and It’s my dream to make games that bring others the same joy.


Photo of Sierra Pinkston
Sierra Pinkston
Percy Larrañaga Drawbridge to Success Scholarship

Attending The University of New Mexico

What was your most memorable experience as a student at Del Norte High School?
The First day I was here, everyone was so welcoming and kind, I instantly felt better about going to high school.

What do you intend to study at your college or university?
Music Education

What do you want to do after you graduate from college?
I want to be a Music Teacher, specifically band.


Dianne Riley Erickson Nursing Scholarship

The Dianne Riley Erickson Nursing Scholarship provides up to four years of support to graduating seniors who are interested in pursuing a four-year post-secondary degree in Nursing anywhere in the United States and are able to demonstrate an exemplary record of service, academic achievement, and commitment to the Nursing profession. In college year one, the student receives $1,000 followed by increasing amounts in their college years two, three and four. The scholarship honors 1966 DNHS graduate Dianne Riley Erickson who worked at numerous area hospitals.


Photo of Soleil Ashburner
Soleil Ashburner
Dianne Riley Erickson Nursing Scholarship

Attending The University of New Mexico

What was your most memorable experience as a student at Del Norte High School?
My most memorable experience as a student at Del Norte High School is when school ended early due to the pandemic, it was only supposed to end for 2 weeks but ended up being closed for nearly a full year. During that time many other memorable moments happened but this by far was one of the most interesting.

Why do you want to pursue a career in the nursing profession?
I want to pursue a nursing career because I fell in love with the profession and I fell in love with helping my patients and making them smile. I want to continue to make my patients smile and I want to continue to help improve lives and make a difference in the world.


Photo of Raquel Rodriguez
Raquel Rodriguez
Dianne Riley Erickson Nursing Scholarship

Attending New Mexico State University

What was your most memorable experience as a student at Del Norte High School?
One of my most memorable experiences as a Knight was when I was a basketball manager and the team made it to state. I sat on the bench in the Pit and cheered on the team. Another one of my most memorable experiences was when I made the varsity volleyball team as a freshman and continued to play until I was a senior. I will always cherish these memories as part of my high school experience.

Why do you want to pursue a career in the nursing profession?
I want to pursue a career in the nursing profession because nursing offers everything I want in a lifelong career. I want a job that makes a difference and to be in a position to care for people. I understand nursing can be very challenging, but it can be very rewarding as well. I want to leave a positive mark on someone’s life.


Donation Information

If you are interested in supporting future AlumKnights Scholarship awards, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to AlumKnights, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

To donate, simply press the “Donate” button below.

Donate Button with Credit Cards

You can also mail us a check. Just make the check payable to “AlumKnights, Inc.”, complete our AlumKnights Donation Form and mail it and the check to:

AlumKnights, Inc.
P.O. Box 93056
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87199

When you purchase either a small or large brick for the Del Norte Legacy Brick Garden, the proceeds go to the scholarship fund. A portion of the cost is tax deductible. For more information, visit our Brick Garden Fundraiser page.

Send inquiries to treasurer@alumknights.info