Hi, I'm Annabel Ivey, a proud graduate of Nederland Middle-Senior High School. During my time there, I enthusiastically participated in various sports, including volleyball, soccer, cross country, nordic skiing, and alpine skiing. Additionally, I was a member of the Loquations choir and the theater program. Engaging in these activities not only helped me overcome my fear of being a beginner but also taught me the value of teammate camaraderie. My passion for athletics drove me to apply for the Shelby Allen Memorial Scholarship, as I believe my participation has played a defining role in my identity, and is something I owe to the community I grew up in. 

Leaving the small town of Nederland made me truly appreciate its value. Currently, I'm studying economics at the University of Arizona among nearly 50,000 other students. Transitioning to a larger community has been both a significant adjustment and a fantastic adventure.

Although I miss the competitive sports scene, I've recently taken up rock climbing. Making the most of the year-round summer temperatures, I've discovered a community of passionate people and a refreshing new environment. While I may not be able to participate in all the sports here, I'm incredibly grateful for the experiences in Nederland and the confidence they've equipped me with for all my future endeavors.

My name is Abigail Smith and I attended Gilpin County High School and graduated in 2023. I was very honored to be considered for and awarded the Shelby Allen Memorial Scholarship. I was an avid athlete throughout my entire life, I high school I ran track, and played basketball and volleyball. I was also part of the National Honor Society and a member of the Student Council. Participating in these activities gave me lots of structure throughout highschool and they also taught me how to manage time, work on a team, be a leader, and commit to something. I was a captain of my basketball team for 3 years and the sport really gave me a family. This is why I felt inclined to apply for the scholarship, in hopes to influence others to learn from sports and be a part of your community because it will help you out for the rest of your life.

I am currently attending Moravian University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where I am planning to major in sports management. I am also part of Moravian Women's Basketball team and while I was unable to play this year due to injury, I am looking forward to playing next year. Moravian University is a beautiful campus, full of motivated students, most of whom are also athletes. I enjoy being around people who have goals like I do, to not only stay active academically but also physically. The campus is a very great community, connected very well with alumni in order to help students excel. The campus has many other engaging events and learning opportunities that make it even more enjoyable and I can't wait for my years here in the future. Being so far away from home has taught me to value relationships I have with people even more, and that one little call or update goes a long way. My goals for the future are to graduate college, play my remaining years of basketball and take advantage of every little moment I'm here before I begin to work. While I'm not exactly sure what I want to do, I would like to work somewhere in the professional sports world, because sports have shaped me so much.

Hello! I’m Ivy Brundege. I attended Nederland Middle Senior High School and graduated in 2022. In high school, I loved to participate in every activity I could find. This included numerous sports, such as cross country running, nordic skiing, and volleyball. I was also a member of the student council, and occasionally participated in theater as well. My favorite thing about all of these activities was how connected it made me feel to the community, and how much I was able to learn about myself through them. This is what inspired me to apply for the Shelby Allen memorial scholarship. I had found such a community through athletics, through being mentored as a freshman to becoming a mentor myself as a senior. This is the legacy that sports in our school has.

I’m now studying at Virginia Tech with majors in computer science and computational neuroscience. I’ve loved the experience of being somewhere new and being pushed out of my comfort zone, especially on a large campus with thousands of other students. Most of all, I’ve really liked exploring all the things I can do on campus, such as intramural sports teams, hiking clubs, and all sorts of events. I think that the biggest thing that I’ve learned so far is that even though I’ve left Nederland, I’m not completely separate from it. I can still maintain my connection to both communities, both in Colorado and here in Virginia. As for the future, I plan to return to Colorado every summer, and ultimately move back after graduation in order to pursue a career in research or software development.

My name is Halle Yocom. As a 2022 graduate from Gilpin County Undivided HIgh School, I was honored to be considered for and awarded one of the Shelby Allen Memorial Scholarships. Each year of high school, I participated in cheerleading, theater, Student Council, and Interact. In addition to those activities, during my senior year, I participated in basketball and was on Gilpin's first Women's Soccer team. My participation in these activities taught me dedication and commitment. My leadership skills further developed when I was appointed co-captain for our cheerleading team my junior and senior year. These opportunities made me feel qualified to apply to this scholarship.

I am currently majoring in integrative physiology and minoring in Chinese Language at the University of Colorado Boulder. The University of Colorado offers me a variety of opportunities to explore and expand my interests through clubs and classes. I have found that the campus radiates positive energy that is infectious and encouraging. In Boulder, I enjoy the many available hiking trails and the variety of restaurants around campus. In only one semester, I have learned so much and most importantly, I have learned to appreciate, even more, where I have come from and how it shaped me into the person I am now. My goal is to graduate college and apply to physician assistant school, where I can learn more about healthcare and how to provide it to those in need.