By Deb Risden
The March issue of The New Falcon Herald highlighted Sand Creek High School senior Israel Oketunmbi for being named a finalist for the Daniels Scholarship Program. On March 21, the Daniels Fund announced that Oketunmbi, along with 11 other Colorado Springs area seniors, has been awarded the scholarship.
Okentunmbi will receive up to $100,000 toward his undergraduate education.
Shaylee Gee, a Peyton High School senior, is also a recipient of the 2023 scholarship.
The Daniels Fund was started in 2000 after the death of entrepreneur and cable television mogul Bill Daniels. The fund provides ethics programs, scholarships and grants in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. This year, 238 students out of 3,000 applicants across the four states were selected — 138 of those students are from Colorado. More than 5,000 Daniels Scholarships have been awarded since 2000; 2,930 are from Colorado.
Daniels Fund recipients are selected not only for their academic performance but also leadership potential, commitment to service to the community and strength of character.
The scholarship pays toward the costs of tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies and miscellaneous educational expenses at any nonprofit college or university in the United States.
Congratulations to Israel and Shaylee!
