Hofrock, Flores receive Kid's Plus scholarships

Two Sidney High School seniors were awarded $1,000 scholarships from Kid's Plus Inc. this week in recognition of their academic accomplishments.

"This is the third year for our scholarship," Kid's Plus Director Cassie Challburg said.

Challburg said the organization offers the scholarships to two Cheyenne County students every year. She said after receiving applications, a committee then selects the top five candidates and sets up interviews with the students.

"We received 15 applications this year," Challburg said. "We picked a good group of kids, and it was hard to choose from them."

Seniors Paola Flores and Cody Hofrock each received the scholarships, which will help them as they prepare for postsecondary education this fall.

"They both grabbed our hearts and showed great leadership among themselves," Challburg said. "And also gave to the community."

Hofrock, the son of Kim and Curtis Hofrock, said he plans to attend Concordia University in Seward, Neb. where he will play football as a member of the Bulldogs.

"I've been playing football since I was a kindergartner," he said. "I'm still looking for a few more years."

Hofrock said he chose the university because he found the atmosphere of Seward to be welcoming.

"The environment felt like home," he said. "It felt just like a Sidney, but with a college."

Hofrock said he on studying education, focusing primarily on physical education at the secondary level. He said all of his coaches were his inspiration in choosing to go into the teaching field as a future career.

"They helped me decided what I wanted to be," he said. "I decided it in my sophomore year."

In addition, Hofrock is considering going for his master's degree with the goal of eventually becoming an athletic director at a high school.

Flores, known to her friends as "Yami," is the daughter of Enriqueta Flores. She said coming from a low-income family, the Kids Plus scholarship will be a big help as she enters college.

"No one's going to give me $1,000 for just sitting there, you know?" Flores said. "So I figured applying was worth a shot. This scholarship is going to help me do better in life."

Flores said she is planning to attend Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyo. beginning this fall to earn her associate's degree.

Once she finishes the two-year program, Flores said she will transfer to the University of Wyoming, also in Cheyenne.

"I plan to study Spanish," she said.

Flores said Spanish is a big part of her life, and was her first language.

"I had a hard time here at first," she said. "(Kid's Korner) is where I did my preschool, actually, and where I started learning English.

"I used to struggle with it as a kid, but they gave me extra help and now I'm bilingual. I might as well take advantage of it."

Flores said she is still deciding if she will minor in criminal justice or social work as she wants to pursue a career as a translator in the legal system.

"I've always been interested in helping others," she said. "I've seen what kids and parents go through, and I want to do what I can to help them."