Jersey Village High School graduate Lily Chau, left, poses with Cy-Fair Educational Foundation Board of Trustee members Leslie Martone, center, and Kara Kovalsky. The scholarship reception allows scholarship donors and mentors to meet with scholarship recipients face-to-face.

Aug. 9, 2021—More than 140 Cypress-Fairbanks ISD graduates celebrated earning scholarships valued at $681,000 at the Cy-Fair Educational Foundation (CFEF) 2021 Scholarship Reception on Aug. 3 at the Berry Center.  

The CFEF, which has awarded more than $10 million in scholarships to more than 2,100 CFISD graduates since its inception in 1970, welcomed families of the 143 recipients to the annual event.

The Class of 2021 CFEF scholarships were comprised of 52 Schroeder Scholarships for future Lone Star College—Cy-Fair students and 91 endowed scholarships.

Cypress Falls High School alumna and past Cy-Fair Educational Foundation Scholarship recipient Dr. Moriah Thompson delivers the keynote address at the 2021 CFEF Scholarship Reception, held Aug. 3 at the Berry Center.

The reception allowed donors and mentors to meet with scholarship recipients, putting a face with the name on each side and helping start mentor-mentee relationships.

For Cypress Falls High School graduate Shaltiy-El Jackson, meeting her mentor was an important part of the night.

“I was able to meet my mentor and I’m excited to get in touch with her more and more,” said Jackson, who plans to study biology at the University of Texas at Austin. “She works in a hospital and communicating with her about that is going to be so beneficial because I want to go into the medical field.”

From left, Tom Jackson, CFISD Board of Trustees member, Vivi Nguyen, Cypress Ridge High School graduate and Oshoke Wenegieme, Cypress Creek High School graduate, pose for a photo at the 2021 CFEF Scholarship Reception, held Aug. 3 at the Berry Center. This year’s reception celebrated 143 recipients, who shared more than $681,000 in scholarship awards.

Dr. Moriah Thompson, a NASA flight surgeon and Cypress Falls High School graduate, offered the keynote address. Thompson is also a past CFEF scholarship recipient.

“The scholarship that I received from the CFEF played a big part in achieving my goals,” Thompson said. “I knew going into college that I would have to be self-funded. Scholarships like this opened more opportunities for me to go beyond undergrad and go to medical school and do what I do now. I’m excited to see what all these students achieve with the help of the CFEF.”

The 2021 scholarship reception celebrated both the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021.

Cypress Springs High School graduates Eley Mendoza, left, and Huynh Nguyen, attend the 2021 CFEF Scholarship Reception, held Aug. 3 at the Berry Center. The CFEF has awarded more than $10 million in scholarships to more than 2,100 CFISD graduates since its inception in 1970.

“Since there was not a scholarship reception last year, it was a great opportunity to not only celebrate the Class of 2021, but the 2020 class as well,” said Mark McShaffry, CFEF chairman. “Allowing students and parents to meet sponsors and trustees is very exciting.”

The following students earned CFEF scholarships: