RRCF, through our scholarship funds, awarded $154,200 to 38 students this year. While the majority of students come from the Renton School District, some students attended high school in Bremerton, Yakima, and other parts of Washington. The scholarships range from $500 to $10,000.
We are so thankful to our scholarship fundholders for making these awards possible and to the scholarship committee who reviewed all of the applications we received to determine the top applicants for each scholarship.
We are excited to highlight a few of the recipients.
Angeline Chen – Recipient of the Wallace Family Scholarship
“Receiving this scholarship will help me focus more on my studies, join research teams, and dedicate myself to clubs that I want to join like rocketry, and the Society of Women Engineers! I will be spending my first year at university exploring and making as many new connections as I can!”
Angeline will be studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington. The Scholarship committee was impressed with her experience as the Renton Downtown Partnership Events Intern, Varsity swim team captain, and president and co-founder of the Thai Laos Cambodian Student Union.
She became interested in engineering and enrolled in the sole engineering-related course offered at her school: Aerospace Manufacturing. However, being one of only two girls enrolled she questioned whether she belonged both in the class and in engineering.
In college she hopes to be involved in hands-on clubs like rocketry and formula motorsports to challenge herself and gain skills that she can’t in the classroom. She also hopes to join clubs like the Society of Women Engineers to be involved in the community and encourage representation for both women and women of color in engineering.
Megan Ngo – Recipient of the Helen Dyrdal Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship
“I sincerely appreciate your kindness and confidence in me. In college and beyond, I will strive to continue serving my community and giving back to others, just as you have done for me. Thank you again for believing in me and investing in my future!”
Megan will be pursuing civil engineering at the University of Washington. The scholarship committee was impressed with her leadership in the robotics club, Hazen Vietnamese Student Association, Hazen Girls Tennis Team, Technological Student Association, and Asian Student Coalition.
In the Hazen Robotics Club, she progressed from designer to business lead to captain. In that time she advocated for robotics programs across the Renton School District, applying for grants and presenting to administrators and the school board.
After graduation, she plans to give back to the community through a career in civil engineering. She believes safe and reliable infrastructure are crucial to the wellbeing of our communities. Through civil engineering, she hopes to contribute to projects that improve accessibility, safety, and quality of life for everyone.
If you are interested in learning more about starting a scholarship or our scholarship opportunities please email Laura at lgarner@rentonfoundation.org
Khiem Tu – Recipient of the Helen Dyrdal Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship
“Through my volunteer work at Helping Link and leadership experience at Civil Air Patrol. I have learned that community service is about people helping one another through challenges and opportunities. Being able to serve others has been meaningful to me because I know what it feels like to receive help from a community. Many people, teachers, and organizations have supported me along my journey, and their kindness has helped me reach this point in my life. This scholarship is another reminder that people believe in me and want to see me succeed. I am deeply grateful for that trust and generosity. Thank you for investing in my future. I will do my best to make the most of this opportunity and continue giving back to the community that has given so much to me.”
Khiem will be studying computer engineering at the University of Washington. He grew up in Vietnam and when his family moved to Seattle he became involved in Helping Link, a nonprofit that helps Vietnamese immigrants. He was involved in the community as an ESL student at Helping Link where he initially learned how education could change life. He went back there several years later to serve as an Instructor Assistant and he taught and mentored newcomers who were like him.
Beyond Helping Link, he was also serving through Teens In Public Service as an intern at Rainier Valley Food Bank. One day, he encountered a Haitian mother who had problems with language barriers and assisted her in filling forms and getting food and diapers using Google Translate. Her thanksgiving made him remember that compassion is a way of communication where words cannot reach. “That was the point in which I was convinced that service cuts across culture and background,” says Khiem.
Congratulations to all of the scholarship recipients for the 2026-2027 school year:
Andee Jorgensen Scholarship – Elysia Yan
Betty Jacobsen Memorial Scholarship – Katerina Zimmerman
Betty Jacobsen Memorial Scholarship – Madox Meneses
Betty Jacobsen Memorial Scholarship – Michelle Arjona-Reyes
Betty Jacobsen Memorial Scholarship – Roselia Farina
Betty Jacobsen Memorial Scholarship – Sage Michler
Bill Boehlke Character Scholarship – Arthur Kim
Bill Boehlke Character Scholarship – Jyron Quitco
Carl & Betty Rochet Scholarship – Annika Hauer
Changing the Way America Thinks About Race Scholarship – Amarah Ndirangu
Changing the Way America Thinks About Race Scholarship – Quincy Robinson
Cugini Family Scholarship – Lan Nguyen
Cugini Family Scholarship – Shaswati Dash
Dr. Dolores Gibbons Scholarship – Carmen Motta
Dr. Gary Kohlwes Scholarship – Emily Kissin
Dr. Gary Kohlwes Scholarship – Shaswati Dash
Felomena’s Grace Scholarship – Wilbur Mead
Harry and Janet Blencoe Scholarship – Anonymous
Helen Dyrdal Memorial Graduate Scholarship – Reanna Wong
Helen Dyrdal Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship – Ariana Kwan
Helen Dyrdal Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship – Khiem Thien Tu
Helen Dyrdal Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship – Luis Morales Carrera
Helen Dyrdal Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship – Megan Ngo
Helen Dyrdal Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship – Navneet Tumber
Irene Olson Memorial Scholarship – Teagan Pollard
Jeremy Gidlund Memorial Scholarship – Amaya O’Neal-Kidd
Jeremy Gidlund Memorial Scholarship – Hans C. Korve
Nature Stewards Environmental Science Scholarship – Lan Nguyen
Osborn Consulting Scholarship – Marely Moreno-Flores
Osborn Consulting Scholarship – Marina Figueroa-Rowen
Parker Family Memorial Scholarship – Anonymous
Puget Sound Energy Scholarship – Shreyas Kolwalkar
Robotics Scholarship – Joseph Tseng
Robotics Scholarship – Phong Thanh Nguyen
Wallace Family Scholarship – Angeline Chen
Wallace Family Scholarship – Trinity Yang