The Peoria Firefighters Charities is a non-profit group made up of Peoria Firefighters
that have been raising money since the early 2000’s to be able to offer mutiple
scholarships to graduating high school seniors in the Peoria Unified School District.
John Valentine Scholarship
The first is the Johnny Valentine Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $5,000 for
any student wishing to attend college and pursue a career in serving others. John
Valentine was a Peoria Firefighter who passed away during the prime of his career
from a brain tumor leaving behind a wife and daughter. Johnny's spirit and energy
live on today through the Peoria Fire Department and its members. Johnny was a
well respected Firefighter who lived the Fire Department's Motto: Serving with
Strength, Honor, and Compassion. Our goal is to find a representative each year
who embodies our motto and would greatly benefit from our assistance in the
pursuit of their education goals.
General Education Scholarship
The second scholarship is the General Education Scholarship in the amount of
$1,000-$3,000. This scholarship may be used at any university, community college or
vocational school. This scholarship will be awarded to the applicant who has shown
a strong work ethic, leadership qualities, and a desire to continue their success at a
school of their choosing.
View Past Scholarship Recipients
The application process runs from October 1st through April 1st of each school
year. You can download the application from the following link or pick up in your
school’s career office. Applications must be postmarked on or before March 15th.
past recipients
2020 recipients
2020
Johnny Valentine Scholarship Recipient
Hello! My name is Constanza Santosusso, I am an 18 year old who is about to graduate from Peoria High School. I love to read Stephen King, play with my dog and have lazy Netflix days. Although I love my downtime, I am efficient and driven. My strongest traits are loyalty, reliability and perseverance. I don't back down when times get rough and I finish projects I start. I will be attending NAU on the Lumberjack Scholarship. At college I will be majoring in biology to help me with my journey to medical school. My long term goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon. I have aspired to be a surgeon since the second grade. Aside from that, I am just a quirky girl who enjoys going to school and giving back to others. Giving back to my community is one of my passions. I hope I can show others that dreams can become goals as long as you look forward and push yourself.
2020
General Education Scholarship Recipient
Hello everyone, my name is Victorie Jensen and I am a 17-year-old graduating senior at Sunrise Mountain High School. I am the youngest of 4 siblings, and love being a part of a big family along with being involved in my community. One of my favorite things to do is to spend time with kids. I also enjoy traveling and going on any kind of adventure. I have been to Croatia, Mexico, and tons of states, I also plan to travel a lot in the future. I have been involved with various community service activities and volunteering. I volunteer weekly in the special needs area at my church, along with many church events throughout the year. I have also been a part of 5 different house building trips through 1Mission in Rocky Point, Mexico. I plan to attend Grand Canyon University in the fall with a Business Major in Entrepreneurial Studies. I am ecstatic to enter this new stage of my life and get to experience so many new things. I am thankful for this scholarship and the way it is helping provide that experience.
2020
General Education Scholarship Recipient
My name is Morgan Abretske. I am a native to Glendale, Arizona and a graduate of Ironwood High School. I enjoy playing Soccer, Football and doing Airsoft Tactical Military Realism. I am currently matriculating at Glendale Community College to obtain the necessary knowledge and degrees in the area of Fire Science with aspirations to become an Arizona Fire Fighter. For the past two years I have been employed with Home Depot , starting off as a lot associate and worked my way up to cashier. These past few months has shown me how to adapt to situations that are beyond my control and continue on with being safe and helping others stay safe and well. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the Peoria Fire Fighters and their associated Scholarships for helping this become a reality.
2019 Recipients
2019 Johnny Valentine Scholarship Recipient
Hi, my name is Tatum Kramer and I am a senior at Centennial High School. I am currently finishing up my second year of Fire Science at Sunrise Mountain High School and taking an EMT course with West Mec. In the fall of 2019, I will be attending Glendale Community College to get an Associate degree in Fire Science. Ever since I was a little girl, I have had a burning passion for helping others. Joining the Fire Science program at Sunrise Mountain last year was the best decision of my high school career. Throughout the program I have had the opportunity to meet amazing mentors and new friends, develop a love for firefighting, and be a part of community service events. Some of the events I volunteered at were teaching freshman CPR, helping with special Olympics, teaching preschoolers about fire safety, and making pancakes for a local assisted living home. Being able to participate in those events has proven that helping the community and being a firefighter is truly what I want to do.
2019 General Education Scholarship Recipient
My name is Colton Flint and I am a 17 year old senior at Sunrise Mountain High School. I have always enjoyed helping others which has led me to service projects through Peoria Firefighter Charities, my church and mission trips. I have completed over 500 hours of community service while in high school with a large emphasis on missions. I have been a part of six house builds with 1Mission in Rocky Point, Mexico and have traveled to Africa twice, once for Malaria and HIV education and once to build a roof on a high school orphanage testing center. While I enjoy serving, my education has always been important to me as well. I have taken rigorous course work throughout high school and am graduating in the top 3% of my class with a 4.5 weighted GPA. I plan to attend Grand Canyon University in the fall where I will be studying Finance and Economics and minoring in Christian Studies. I am grateful to the PFFC for this scholarship.
2018 recipients
2018 Johnny Valentine Scholarship Recipient
My name is Keith Campbell and I am a 18 year old senior at Peoria High School. After high school my plans is to go to Northern Arizona University
and major in psychology and double minor in sociology and criminal justice. After I graduate from
Northern Arizona University I hope to start my career as a psychologist and help change the lives of families
and teens that are in their toughest times.
2018 General Education Scholarship Recipient
Hello everyone, my name is Jade Blanco Holman and I am a senior at Centennial High School. I also am a student in the pharmacy technician program at the West-MEC northeast campus. I volunteer at Banner Thunderbird hospital. I am a very ambitious person when it comes to pursuing my goals. I will be attending Grand Canyon University in the fall of 2018. I will be a freshman in the pre-nursing program. As rigorous as this coursework will be, I am determined to graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. After being a nurse for a couple of years I aspire to
become a doctor. I dream of becoming a cardiologist. The anatomy of the heart has always sparked curiosity in my mind. Individuals in the medical field are always on the frontline of health care. These doctors and nurses are dedicated to saving patients’ lives. I hope that one day I will be able to be rewarded with this amazing feeling.
2018 General Education Scholarship Recipient
Farhat Ali - As a senior at Peoria High School, I pride myself in being involved in several organizations
around the community and in my school. My family immigrated to the United States in 2003
with the dream of a second generation of children that would work to attain a college education
and degree. Next year, I will be attending Arizona State University and will double major in
Secondary Education and Political Science with the dream of someday working in activism and
leadership. My passion in activism and empowerment go beyond my classroom and into the
community, I live in and will someday affect others through my chosen career field. I hope to
continue volunteering and community outreach as I enter University and I look forward to being
a recipient of the Peoria Firefighter scholarship. My future is brighter with the support of the
Peoria Firefighters and I look forward to being a part of this influential organization.
2017 Recipients
2017 Johnny Valentine Scholarship Recipient
My name is Caitlyn James and I live in El Mirage, Arizona and am graduating from Centennial High School May 2017. I am a dedicated athlete who has learned the meaning of hard work and communication through my participation in my schools varsity swim and varsity basketball teams. I am also a prestige’s student, and have worked hard throughout my high school career in order to insure myself a position in the top five percent of my school.
When I am not studying or playing sports, I am often found at one of the City of Peoria’s aquatics centers teaching children how to swim and be safe around water. I am an advocate for safety around water and works hard to ensure that all of my students have the skills to be safe. I plan on attending Glendale Community College and obtain a Associates degree. I then plan on transferring over to Arizona State University to work towards a degree in Mathematics or Engineering.
2017 Johnny Valentine Scholarship Recipient General Education Scholarship Recipient
My name is Marissa Shaw. I am an eighteen year old student at Peoria High
School. I have been involved in numerous activities at school, including
volleyball, basketball, track, student council, cub links, and DECA. Being
involved in the community of my school is what has made me the happiest as a high schooler. It is also what has helped me prepare for my future. Growing up was difficult for me, mostly because I didn’t have a good family atmosphere. My parents both had addictions, and I have been in and out of the system until finally I was adopted in 7th grade by one of my teachers. I have been through many rough patches, but I have grown from it, and I have been able to challenge myself to be successful. I am attending NAU in the fall, and will be studying Hotel and Restaurant Management. I would not be able to attend college if it wasn’t for the help of the Peoria Firefighter Charities. My unconditional appreciation goes to everyone who has made this happen. I am beyond excited to further my education at a campus as beautiful as NAU’s.
