On May 15, Andrew and Heather Santiago attended a ceremony at Keller High School to present the Jordan Santiago iCARE Foundation Memorial Scholarship to this year’s recipients: Landri Whitfield and Benjamin Hayes. The following day, they awarded Riley Barsanti with a scholarship at Timber Creek High School.
The Keller High Memorial Scholarship honors Jordan’s legacy and is awarded annually to graduating seniors. The recipients of the scholarship can use the $750 award towards any college of their choice. This year, we were able to award the scholarship to two students from Keller High School, and we also extended it to a graduate from Timber Creek High School.
Landri Whitfield, from Keller High School, comes from a family that values service and volunteering. Inspired by her parents’ example, Landri has dedicated over 350 hours to community service during high school, including work with Meals on Wheels, the Community Storehouse, and the Special Olympics. She plans to study Allied Health and become a NICU nurse, driven by her own premature birth experience. Landri aims to continue her leadership and community service on campus and sees the scholarship as an opportunity to support her education and continue helping children.
Benjamin Hayes, also from Keller High School, is a dedicated and empathetic individual who has emerged as a valued leader in school and church. With a passion for serving the community through leadership, Benjamin approaches every task with utmost dedication. He plans to major in political science and has exceptional writing skills and intellectual curiosity. Benjamin’s selection as a scholarship recipient reflects his commitment to making a positive impact in the community and pursuing a successful future in political science. He will be attending Rhodes College in Memphis.
Riley Barsanti, from Timber Creek High School, has learned the importance of donating time from a young age and has been actively involved in volunteering. Riley’s experience includes volunteering at the Chad Powell event and the Special Olympics, providing support to families with special needs athletes. Accepted into Texas Tech University to study Kinesiology, Riley aims to become an EMT and a licensed paramedic, carrying forward their legacy of service. Being chosen as a scholarship recipient is seen as an honor and a validation of Riley’s dedication to serving others. Reily is a family friend who has known Jordan since he was born. He grew up calling Jordan “Big guy.”