Chance Copeland-Ladd Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations to Lorena Martinez and Holly Post for being this year’s Chance-Copeland Ladd Scholarship recipients!
The Chance-Copeland Ladd scholarship, created by the district in honor of former board member Bobby Ladd and his son Chance, enters its second year of being awarded. This annual $2,500 scholarship offers assistance for up to two Mountain Rec employees – for their undergraduate or graduate education – who embody our values of courage, joy, community, learning, and excellence. Learn more about the scholarship’s inception HERE.
Each applicant completed a competitive application process including letters of recommendation, an essay, and a creative presentation describing what their experience with Mountain Rec has meant to them and to the community. We are pleased to share their stories.
Lorena Martinez’s story is so remarkable and inspirational it merits being on film: from undocumented immigrant to rock star working single mother of three beautiful children working to achieve her dreams. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, Lorena came to Eagle County with her mother and siblings at the age of 6—and without documentation. At 15, she had her first child and dropped out of high school to focus on her daughter. Lorena then had her second child at 18 and completed her GED at 19. After that, she began working in just about any job she could find: landscaping, painting, housekeeping, fast food, until she realized it just was not the life she wanted.
Lorena aspired to become a nurse, to help people and save lives, but the program required paperwork that she did not have. So, Lorena began what would be a ten-year process to not only become a resident alien, but a citizen. During that decade, Lorena worked as a bookkeeper and realized her skill and natural inclination toward numbers and spreadsheets—not to mention that she also had her third child and earned two Associates degrees from CMC (in business and in general studies). Lorena is now working toward her bachelor’s degree in business so she can be her own boss one day. In the meantime, we’re thrilled to have Lorena as our administrative assistant supporting our HR and Accounting Managers.
Lorena says, “I love that I can work at Mountain Rec because it’s such a flexible place to work. I feel like I’m doing something good working here.”
We think she is too.
At Mountain Rec, our vision is to create experiences that make our community better than yesterday, where lifelong goals are achieved, and dreams are born – we could not think of someone that embodies this as much as our next recipient, Holly Post.
Holly – a current integrative physiology student at CU Boulder – encapsulates what it means to live healthy and happy and shares it with her community through her leadership roles. Having participated in Mountain Rec’s competitive gymnastics program since the age of 5, Holly went on to be a National Honors Society participant, a President’s list recipient, and even take on leadership roles by participating in philanthropy through her university’s Gamma Phi Beta chapter.
Being the assistant internal philanthropy chairwoman, Holly is actively involved in their national philanthropy, Girls on the Run – organized 5k races for 2nd-8th grade girls – where girls not only race but learn life skills such as teamwork, body confidence, determination, and nutrition. Holly has always been passionate about empowering young women, including during her time as a Mountain Rec gymnastics coach over the last five years.
“I love seeing them grow, go through the 5 years in gymnastics, and see them be confident in themselves,” Holly recalls.
“Becky (Johnson, Mountain Rec Gymnastics Supervisor) is my second mom and has known me for so long. She is my mentor, more so than my boss. I would call her for professional advice but also personal stuff. I couldn’t imagine my life without her,” continued Holly.
Holly hopes to one day be a physical therapist located in the mountains, and we would love to see her bring her talents to the Valley. Holly recognizes the importance of staying healthy and happy especially during this time, celebrating the little things, and staying connected to family through Facetime calls.
Thank you, Lorena and Holly, for leading by example and reinvigorating our passion for recreation and our community. All of us at Mountain Rec are cheering you on and wish you the best of luck on your higher education goals.