Lompoc High School graduate Isaiah Sanchez (pictured below, right) was awarded a $1,000 scholarship by the Lompoc Odd Fellows for winning the organization’s second annual essay contest. The contest came down to two finalists, Sanchez and Cabrillo High School student Kailey McNamee, who both read their essays aloud at the Odd Fellows Lodge at the end of June.
The theme of this year’s essay question was “What would I do if I were an Odd Fellow?” Sanchez used his essay to reflect on how he would devote himself to providing mental health resources for students.
“A student’s mental health is the foundation to their success,” Sanchez wrote in his essay. “The lack of resources provided makes it hard for students to express their emotions and prevent them from dangerous acts as well as focusing on their academics.”
Arts Briefs is compiled by Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood.Send information to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jul 4-11, 2019.