For one Oakdale family, milk is likely being served as part of their graduation party menu because their high school graduate is being recognized as a top student athlete on a special-edition Crystal Creamery milk carton. Sarah Bohrer, of Oakdale High School, is one of 49 recipients of the 2018 Dale Lacky Scholarships.
Crystal Creamery has begun delivering new commemorative cartons to local grocery and convenience stores from Los Banos to Marysville to honor the winners of the 2018 Sac-Joaquin Section’s Dale Lacky and Clark Coover Scholarships. A long-time sponsor of the Sac-Joaquin Section, Crystal Creamery has recognized more than 150 Sac-Joaquin Section and State champions on their milk cartons over the past six years.
“These young people are so accomplished when it comes to producing top grades and being a student leader at their schools. This is a fun way to recognize four years of hard work in the classroom, on campus and on the playing field,” said John Harrington, director of marketing at Crystal Creamery. “We have always been impressed by the Lacky and Coover scholarship winners and we are excited for them as they begin their new chapter.”
Bohrer was a $500 scholarships winner. She played varsity basketball for all four years. She was the team MVP three times, was named all-league twice and was the Valley Oak League Defensive MVP once. She gives guitar lessons in her community. She volunteers with Oakdale and Modesto basketball clinics, as a face painter for her local elementary school’s Family Fun Nights, as a counselor at church sports camp and with the Oak Valley Care Center Halloween celebration. Sarah has a 4.04 GPA. She plans on majoring in civil engineering in college. She has the future goal of becoming an engineer, firefighter or working in Air Force emergency management.
Each year, every high school athletic league in the Sac-Joaquin Section nominates their top male and female candidates to the Dale Lacky and Clark Coover Scholarship Committee for consideration. The Section first awarded the Dale Lacky Scholarship in 1993 to honor the longtime principal of Woodland High School who also served as the Section President from 1966-1978 and as the California Interscholastic Federation State President from 1978-1980.
Initially, a scholarship was awarded to one male and one female athlete. Over the years, the Section has been able to expand the scholarship program through funds generated from “foundation games” where Section schools play designated basketball and volleyball games with 50 percent of the gate receipts being dedicated to the scholarship program thereby expanding the scholarship funding from two scholarships to 49 scholarships for graduating seniors. In addition, two $1,500 scholarships are awarded in honor of former Section President Clarke Coover, who was the Section’s second Commissioner and served from 1968-1993.
“The Dale Lacky and Clark Coover Scholarships are considered one of the most outstanding programs offered to Sac-Joaquin Section student athletes and we are very happy that Crystal Creamery partners with us to recognize these young leaders,” said Michael Garrison, the Sac-Joaquin Section’s Commissioner. “The commemorative milk cartons are unique to our program and add additional prestige to these student athlete scholarships.”
Crystal Creamery has been a sponsor of the Sac-Joaquin Section since 2012. The company became involved to support high school sports and help offset the continued cuts to athletic budgets. The company is a proponent of high-school athletics because it provides student athletes with unique experiences and an understanding of the importance of teamwork, dedication and commitment which can last them a lifetime.
The commemorative cartons can be found for a limited time at a variety of grocery and convenience stores including Bel Air, Raley’s Costless Markets, Holiday Market, Mar Val, O’Brien’s Market and Podestos.
