Mikey Aslam Scholarship recipient Sasha Carr. Courtesy photo

COMMUNITY News:

Champions of Youth Ambitions (C’YA) recently presented awards to three Los Alamos High School  students in the name of the Mikey Aslam Scholarship project.

Sadly, Aslam lost his life after unfortunate events a year and a half ago. His bright outlook on life lives on in the educational success of Los Alamos High School graduates. Last year, two students were selected to be the first recipients of the scholarship. This year, the pool of candidates was so strong that the family selected three.

Sasha Carr, Kaya Loy and Siena Rolfe were acknowledged for their steadfast commitment to education, community and their fellow students. Mikey’s father, Dr. Tariq Aslam presented each of the students with $1,000 checks to be used for their educational expenses. The funds were donated to the scholarship after Mikey’s passing.

Carr intends to attend Oregon State University where she plans to study mechanical engineering.

“I am incredibly grateful that I was chosen for the Mikey Aslam Scholarship,” Carr said. “It is an honor that my application was chosen.”

Carr knew Mikey through Scouting and found him always willing to include younger scouts and was always excited for their next adventure.

“His good mood was contagious and it was easy to enjoy time spent with him,” Carr said.

Kaya Loy

Loy was thrilled when she received the call about being a recipient of the scholarship.

“This Scholarship means so much to me and other students in my community,” Loy said. “Mikey valued scouting, and this Scholarship is a great way to keep that value and his memory alive.”

Loy heads to the Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY) in New York City, as a Presidential Scholars student. She will study Fashion Business Management.

“I plan to continue dancing, study abroad, and find ways to help serve my school and community,” Loy said. “Mikey Aslam was very important to a dear friend and coworker of mine, Zac Tobin. I love hearing Zac’s memories of Mikey, and how he was such a light to everyone around him.”

Siena Rolfe

“I’m extremely happy to receive this scholarship and am even more proud that it’s under Mikey’s name,” Rolfe said. “I feel honored to be a recipient and will make good decisions with the money.”

Rolfe plans to attend Northern Arizona Honors College with a dual interest in both weather and several fields of healthcare. Rolfe is familiar with Mikey through her relationship with his sister Hannah. Hannah is also a LAHS senior this year. Mikey would have been proud to see her excelling in track and preparing to walk the halls of Pinon as a graduate this week.

“She would always speak very highly of him,” Rolfe said. “I know that he was a very good brother to her, and a wonderful person.”

Mikey’s mom, Kimberly was so touched with so many applications, that picking just two, was just not good enough.

“I am grateful that people still talk about Mikey and how they knew him,” she said. “He was a very special person with a big heart and touched so many lives. All of the applicants are amazing people.”

The Aslam family and C’YA wish these students well and hope they will stay in touch so they can celebrate their success.

Donations can still be made to the Mikey Aslam Scholarship though Champions of Youth Ambitions (C’YA) with Mikey Aslam in the subject line. They can be mailed to P.O. Box 4741, White Rock, NM 87547.

Mikey Aslam Scholarship recipient Kaya Loy. Courtesy photo

Mikey Aslam Scholarship recipient Siena Rolfe. Courtesy photo