Payson Roundup

The Mogollon Sporting Association awarded the H. Ted Pettet Scholarship to three graduating seniors from Payson High School for a total of $4,000 Tuesday night.

The three were selected from six applicants for the award. Winners were Justin Moratti, $2,000; Lauren Nossek, $1,000; and Kelsey Waugh, $1,000.

Photo by Andy Towle

Ted Pettet stands with the three recipients of the Mogollon Sporting Association scholarships that bear his name. The students are Justin Moratti, Lauren Nossek and Kelsey Waugh.

The girls had tied in points once the judges had scored their applications, explained Ted Pettet, one of the founders of the MSA, for whom the scholarship is named.

The students applying were asked to submit their unofficial transcript from school; two letters of recommendation, one from the school and the other from a member of the community; a resume including their community service and club participation, school club and organization participation, community and school awards, and athletic awards and honors.

The application also asks if the student has a valid hunting and/or fishing license. The students were also required to answer two essay questions in 250 to 500 words; in one they were asked to say how participating in sports/extracurricular activities had impacted their life; and in the other, they were asked how they felt conservation would impact society in the future.

Rank assigned the elements of the application were: completeness, 2 points; letters of recommendation, 6 points; resumes, 10 points; having a license, 2 points; and 10 points were assigned to each essay question, for a possible total of 40 points.

Students applying for the Pettet scholarship were Payson Herring, Justin Moratti, Jake Sleeper, James B. Thornhill, Lauren Nossek and Kelsey Waugh. Applicants were to have participated/lettered in two sports their senior year or been in band during their senior year and one varsity spring sport their junior year.

The Mogollon Sporting Association was founded in 1993. The MSA endeavors to enhance wildlife, environment, education and the economy in the Mogollon Rim area by supporting local quality game management, youth and local businesses, according to its mission statement.