Avalon VFW presents scholarship checks to graduates

VFW Commander Jen Dreizehn with scholarship winner Tommy Oddone. Courtesy photos

The Veterans of Foreign Wars post 4682 recently presented three more $1,000 VFW scholarships to Avalon High School graduates.

The post is committed to helping veterans, their family members and community.

These students have shown great dedication to their education and have volunteered to serve our community, according to VFW Post Commander Jen Dreizehn.

• Thomas Oddone is a graduate of Avalon High School Class 2018 and the son of Charles (Army Veteran) and Kim Oddone.

He volunteered for Avalon Rotary Club, Lions Club, Humane Society, Avalon Community Church, Conservancy and the city of Avalon Harbor Cleanup. He was on the Cross Country team and Drama department in High School.

He worked for the Escape Room, Seaport Bistro and currently Silver Canyon Pottery. Thomas will be attending Westmont College in Santa Barbara, studying Kinesiology.

• Paul Perea Jr. is a graduate of Avalon High School Class 2018 and the son of Paul Sr. (Army Veteran) and Katrina Perea.

He enjoys volunteering for the Conservancy, PTA events and also the Catalina Island Medical Center Foundation. He was in Boy Scouts and peer mediation.

He worked for the yacht club for the last two summers and now works as a deck hand on the yellow submarine with Catalina Adventures. Paul will be studying biology at California State University, Long Beach.

• Rebekah Perea is a graduate of Avalon High School Class 2016 and the daughter of Paul Sr. (Army Veteran) and Katrina Perea.

She volunteered for the PTA, the Catalina Island Medical Center Foundation, Women’s Forum, various community events and she was junior volunteer of the year for the conservancy.

She spent some years in Kids at Play and in theater at Avalon High School.

She was also cheer manager and played soccer in high school. She enjoys writing her own music and playing her guitar.

Rebekah worked at the Chamber of Commerce and now works at Descanso Beach. During the school year she lives in Davis and attends Sacramento College where she studies sociology.

VFW post 4682 scholarships are for those entering public service occupations, children of veterans or students who have applied through the district patriotic essay competition.

If you would like to nominate yourself or another individual, please contact us at vfwislandoutpost4682@gmail.com.