The Knights of Columbus provide many scholarships at the national level.  Bishop Salpointe Council provides two annual college scholarships under the Crista Valdez Scholarship Fund and a trade school scholarship under the Petra Carter Fund.  Crista was the wife of a Past Grand Knight.  She was a great supporter of her husbands work in our council and she also organized the parish ministry for native traditional dancers known as the Youth Matachins’ Dancers.  Petra Carter was the wife of PGK Larry Carter - she was a great supporter of Larry and her mother during her illness/debilitation 

In 2022 we selected three winners shown below:

Students Awarded $1000 Scholarships

From Left to Right: Katherine (Kate) Polakowski, Cecelia Kjolsrud and Jamie Benton

The Knights of Columbus, Bishop Salpointe Council in Sierra Vista, awarded three High School Seniors $1000 Scholarships.  This year’s applicants included one student from Buena High School, one from Our Lady of Czestochowa Catholic Home School and one from Mother of Divine Grace.  To be considered the students had to submit their transcripts, letters of recommendation, a resume and an essay highlighting their goals, listing church and school activities, community involvement and any special awards the applicants have received. 

The three winners are Jamie Benton, Katherine Polakowski and Cecelia Kjolsrud.  Jamie plans on attending the University of Arizona in Tucson this fall majoring in Systems Engineering.  Katherine (Kate) plans on attending Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio and complete her Nursing program.  Cecelia also plans on Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, double-majoring in Philosophy and Theology.  According the scholarship review committee it was very difficult to select this year’s winners as they all were very worthy.  The reviewers where extremely moved by the display of faith that the candidates showed.  Their faith, dedication to the church, the community and overall academic exceptionalism made it a real challenge to pick winners.

The Knights have traditionally offered two $1000 traditional scholarships to local students.  The Crista Valdez Youth Scholarship is awarded to two applicants who are high school senior planning on attending full-time in an accredited college or university or a technical institute in the summer or fall semester immediately following high school graduation. Again we are fortunate enough to offer the Petra H. Carter Scholarship for the Trades.  This $1000 scholarship is for the essential strength and well-being of a community that the trades provide; augmenting and enhancing the backbone of the community and ensuring the smooth functioning of public and private infrastructures.  It is not in competition with the Crista Valdez Memorial Scholarship program but augments that program.  Accredited schools include Community Colleges, in person private training schools, and on-line training schools and nursing programs.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal organization dedicated to promoting and conducting educational, charitable, religious, and social welfare works, rendering mutual aid and assistance to qualifying families in our community. 

Application requirements are at the links below:

1. The Crista Valdez Youth Scholarship

2. Petra H. Carter Scholarship for the Trades

NOTE: Submission Deadline for both is 16 April 2023