Scholarship Program Supports Children of San Diego County First Responders
Wheelhouse Credit Union (Wheelhouse) has awarded six $1,000 “Badge of Honor” Scholarships to college-bound students to honor the heroic efforts of San Diego County’s first responders and their families.
In the sixth year of the Badge of Honor program, scholarships were awarded to rising college freshmen with a parent/grandparent/legal guardian who is an active member of law enforcement, fire protection service, healthcare or EMT in San Diego County.
“We are deeply grateful to San Diego’s first responders, and we’re honored to recognize the next generation of their families through our Badge of Honor Scholarships,” said Wheelhouse President/CEO Lisa Paul-Hill. “Each of these students has demonstrated both academic achievement and a strong sense of purpose and character shaped by the example of their first responder family members. Their stories reflect the deep commitment and personal sacrifice first responders make every day to keep our communities safe. We’re proud to stand behind these remarkable students as they begin this exciting next chapter, and we thank their families for their service and dedication.”
The Wheelhouse 2025 Badge of Honor Scholarship recipients are:
| Recipient | School | City | College Attending | Family First Responder |
| Gabriela Alfaro | Mater Dei Catholic High School | Chula Vista | University of Alabama | Homeland Security Investigations, Special Agent |
| Ashlyn Castro | Granite Hills High School | El Cajon | Arizona State University | San Diego Police Department, Detective |
| Charlotte Crudale | Poway High School | Poway | Nazareth University | Department of Homeland Security, Asst. Chief Patrol Agent |
| Keala Custodio | Mission Hills High School | San Marcos | San Diego State University | Registered Nurse |
| Siena Ferreyra-MacPete | Academy of Our Lady of Peace | San Diego | Brown University | UCSD, Ophthalmologist- Vitreoretinal Surgeon |
| Charlotte Lourey | Valhalla High School | El Cajon | University of California, Los Angeles | SHARP Healthcare & SD Unified School District, Registered Nurse |
Beyond having a parent, grandparent or legal guardian as a first responder, all recipients recently graduated from San Diego County high schools with plans to attend an accredited college. Award criteria included academic achievement, letters of recommendation, an essay about the first responder in their family, and a desire to make an impact on their schools and communities.
The Badge of Honor scholarships are in addition to the Credit Union’s annual Sustainability College Scholarship Program, which was created in 2005 to support high school seniors in San Diego County. Since the creation of these programs, Wheelhouse has awarded $137,000 in scholarships to local students.