Two $1,000 scholarships awarded in memory of former NHS Coach Salvador Heredia-Arriaga

--- Published on June 03rd 2015 ---
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To Natomas Unified Trustee Sue Heredia, it’s about helping kids, about reaching out and extending her Nighthawk “family” in keeping with the legacy of her late son, Salvador Heredia-Arriaga, a Natomas High School junior varsity football coach who died an untimely death five years ago at age 26.

Last week, Dr. Heredia continued a Natomas community tradition in memory of her son by awarding two $1,000 scholarships to Nighthawk seniors Tivon Johnson and Keyair Samuel, varsity football players who graduated with 3.0 grade point averages and plan to attend college next year.

“They’re my kids,” she said simply.

Dr. Heredia is very serious about this Nighthawk “family”: Minutes after awarding the scholarships at a brief ceremony in front of the NHS Class of 2015, she spoke privately with Tivon and Keyair, urging them to stay focused on college and career and to keep in touch with her along the way, letting her know how they’re doing.

“It’s special,” Keyair said later. “Not everybody gets this. I feel like I’m actually part of the family, that she accepted me by giving me this award … I feel very humbled by that.”

Tivon agreed. “I felt really honored,” he said. “I felt like we earned it, like she trusted us a lot,” he said.

Both Nighthawk graduates vowed to keep in touch with Dr. Heredia. They plan to play football at Sacramento City College next year and will use their $1,000 scholarship for books or other academic expenses, they said. Keyair dreams of a career in physical therapy someday, while Tivon has not yet decided upon a college major.

The Salvador Heredia-Arriaga Memorial Football Scholarship is awarded each year to a student or students who maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average, possess a positive attitude, exhibit good citizenship, and help to make the community a better place to live. Tivon has been involved in a campus peer mentoring program, while Keyair has assisted with a church food program and choir.

Community donations launched the scholarship in honor of Salvador Heredia-Arriaga. He was a graduate of Natomas High School who returned to his alma mater – as “Coach A” – after graduating from UC Santa Cruz. Besides coaching Nighthawk junior varsity football, he was a substitute teacher and was attending law school.

Dr. Heredia said the scholarship is a good way to honor her son’s memory because he loved to help kids. While attending UC Santa Cruz, he’d return to Sacramento during summer break to work with at-risk youth.

“He had this unique personality where he could really bond with kids,” she said.

Dr. Heredia recalled that former Nighthawk Jakori Ford, a previous scholarship winner, told her that her son impressed upon him the importance of being humble and crediting victory to team effort, not individual achievement. After graduating from NHS, Jakori played football for American River College, then Idaho State College.

Jakori continues to keep in touch with her, Dr. Heredia said, recalling that he once told her: “’Every day, I try to live my life as (your son) would want me to live it. I do that every day, I want you to know that.”