Monterey Bay Academy recently awarded more than $15,000 to 37 students in recognition of their academic achievements during the first semester of the current school year.

The academic scholarship program is new to MBA this school year and is designed to encourage students to strive for excellence in their academic programs. To be eligible for the program, students must maintain a “B” or better in attendance and maintain a 3.75 grade point average for a $250 scholarship. Students who maintain of at least a 3.90 GPA earn a scholarship of $500.

“It is exciting to work with so many dedicated students,” said Julie George, academic vice principal. “I’m pleased that we’re able to recognize and reward their scholarship and hard work.”

The students who received the awards were excited, too. Most of them did not realize they were eligible for the scholarship and were pleasantly surprised to hear their name called during MBA’s weekly assembly.

“It was awesome,” said Jonathan Palmer, a junior from Sonora. “We work really hard in our classes to make good grades and it’s nice to be recognized for it.” The sidebar lists students who earned academic scholarships for the fall semester.

GPA – 3.75 to 3.899, $250

Babienco, Elizabeth

Chen, Wendy

DeFluiter, Travis

Gardner, Deanna

Griego, Priscilla

Harder, Sarah

Hayton, Summer

Hszieh, Janelle

Kohler, Kendra

Nambela, Grace

Palmer, Jonathan

Pratt, Lindsay

Yoo, Sang-Woo

GPA – 3.90 and higher, $500

August, Alicia

Beale, Tiffany

Carlos, Pinky

Chung, Kelly

Cline, Natalie

Daily, Stevanie

Dale, Breanna

Evans, Danny

Ford, Colby

Kaligithi, Ranella

Lai, Tim

Lee, Ho Min

McMurry, Elissa

Melese, Selam

Moore, Ryan

Park, Sean

Reynolds, Michael

Shepherd, Tawni

Shield, Sarah

Sun, Krystal

Thompson, Hillari

Tuazon, Ryan

Tyson, Kira

Zeng, Kevin