Kelsi Jackson fought back nerves as she walked with her grandmother into the conference room at Pahrump Valley High School on Friday, as the 18-year-old senior was mentally preparing to be interviewed to win a $100,000 scholarship.
That’s when John Mowbray, trustee for the Charles and Phyllis M. Frias Charitable Trust, which created and funds the scholarship, told Jackson and her grandmother that he wasn’t there to ask her any more questions.
Jackson’s grandmother, Mary Ann Ratay, started to wipe away tears as representatives from the Public Education Foundation commended Jackson and told her she had won the scholarship. Jackson fought back her own tears as she was presented with a giant celebratory check.