Graduating senior receives scholarship named for fallen officer
Tashay Roberts received the Officer Jason D. West Memorial Scholarship at Cleveland Heights High School’s Senior Scholarship Awards Ceremony on May 28th. Tashay is the first graduating senior to receive the scholarship, which was created this year as a way of honoring Officer West’s memory and keeping his name and legacy alive. Officer West, a member of the Cleveland Heights Police Department, lost his life in the line of duty on May 26, 2007.
The Selection Committee chose Tashay because of the academic changes and progress she made during her junior and senior years at Heights. Her teachers and work supervisor describe Tashay as having many of the same qualities that Officer West demonstrated in his life -- dedicated, reliable, always prepared, loyal, always willing to help others and a role model to young adults. Tashay enrolled in the Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement course at Heights because she hopes to become an attorney and will attend Wright State University in the fall.
The Officer Jason D. West Memorial Scholarship will be awarded yearly to a graduating senior from the Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Program at Heights High School. Each recipient will receive $500 when they graduate and an additional $500 when they successfully complete their freshman year of college. The Scholarship Selection Committee hopes to raise $5,000 this coming year from donations and small fundraising events in order to secure the Scholarship for at least the next five years.
Contributions can be mailed to: The Officer Jason D. West Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o The Treasurer's Office, The Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, 2155 Miramar Boulevard, University Heights, OH, 44118.
Checks can be made payable to "Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District," (be sure to include "Jason D. West Scholarship" on the memo line).
Lita Gonzalez, a long time community volunteer, lives in Cleveland Heights with her husband Mark. Both her daughters are Heights High graduates.
