Ashley Beard received the Helix Water District’s Robert D. Friedgen Scholarship, and
Agostinho Soto-wang received the Dr. Lillian M. Childs Scholarship. L to R:
Helix Water District Division 2 Director Andrea Beth Damsky, Helix Division 3 Director Mark
Gracyk, Ashley Beard, Helix Board Vice President Joel Scalzitti, Agostinho Soto-wang, Helix Board President Dan McMillan and Helix Division 4
Director Kathleen Coates Hedberg. Photo: Helix Water DistrictEast County Students Win Helix Water District Scholarships
Two exceptional East County students received $1,000 college scholarships awarded by the Helix Water District at the May Board of Directors meeting. They are Grossmont High School senior Ashley Beard and El Capitan High School senior Agostinho Soto-wang,
Ashley Beard Seeks Role As Legal Advocate
Midway through their senior year, Beard had a 4.87 weighted grade point average and Soto-wang had a 4.91.
Beard plans to earn a degree in political science and go on to law school, a decision she made after a senior year internship at a San Diego law firm showed her how legal advocacy can transform underserved communities.
Beard is an athlete: captain of her varsity softball, soccer, and flag football teams, named first team All-League in the CIF San Diego three times, and honored twice as a Mission Fed Credit Union CIF San Diego Section Scholar Athlete.
Agostinho Soto-wang Aims To Demystify Nutrition Science
Soto-wang plans to major in bioengineering and bioinformatics. When the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools, he developed an online gaming platform for housebound students and discovered he loves to code. He wants to pursue a career in biomedical research and use machine learning and data to demystify nutrition.
Soto-wang serves on the Student Senate at his high school and is captain of the cross-country team. He is also an AP Scholar with Distinction, president of the medical club, and founder of the literature club.
Helix Water District Scholarships Honor Legacy of Leadership
Helix Water District is a local government agency responsible for tap water in San Diego’s east county suburbs. The district’s regional water treatment plant serves 500,000 residents and the district distributes water to 278,000 residents in La Mesa, El Cajon, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley and other unincorporated areas. Photo: Helix Water District
Helix scholarships are $1,000. The Robert D. Friedgen Scholarship was established upon his retirement in 1998, after serving as the district’s general manager for 19 years. Friedgen provided the seed money, and the board and others contributed additional funding.
The Dr. Lillian M. Childs Scholarship was started by the Helix board in 1999 to honor Dr. Childs upon her retirement from the board and recognize the 20 years of service and leadership she had given to the district. Applicants must live in the district’s service area, have excellent academic standing, and excel in community service and extracurricular activities.
Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019
