LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A dozen high school students in Las Vegas will head to college, thanks to the help of a memorial scholarship created in honor of two police officers.
It was a hopeful moment for the students as they accepted their scholarships on Monday while honoring the men whose names are behind it.
“Igor and Alyn were two very important people to this organization as are all the other officers that go out and serve this community,” Andrew Walsh, undersheriff with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said.
June 8th, 2014, is a day that will forever be etched in Undersheriff Walsh’s memory.
Officers Igor Soldo and Alyn Beck were grabbing lunch at a pizzeria when they were ambushed.
“This is a day where out of darkness and sadness comes some light comes some hope for the future,” he said.
The hope that stemmed from the Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo Memorial Scholarship, is being awarded to the teens of active duty officers.
“This is so important to me, my whole career is about service, my dad’s career is about service so it’s amazing to receive that scholarship for that reason”,” Justyce Maestas who received the scholarship said.
For Maestas the $5,000 she was awarded will go a long way as she starts school at the University of Michigan.
Since the scholarship was created nearly 9 years ago, 98 students have been named recipients.
