5-19-2024 9:47am

Alamogordo Proud Fred Moran and Nadia Sikes Partner and Award 4 Scholarships

Chris Edwards Editor

2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News and KALHRadio.org began a series of news articles, over one year ago we call as our “Alamogordo Proud Spotlight Series.

The series spun out of a conversation between local artist and author, Kathy Ramsey and author and journalist, Chris Edwards of the need for local media to spotlight those individuals, businesses or organizations that support our Alamogordo community and region in positivity, inclusion and tolerance. We have Spotlighted many diverse businesses, organizations and individuals since that start and our series continues…

Today, as a part of #Alamogordo Proud, we spotlight: Fred Moran and Nadia Sikes who saw a gap and filled a void to assist 4 students who are a part of the local public schools community.

The Democratic Party of Otero County has been challenged for over a year, with disarray and was suspended from operations due to continued investigations and infighting from local members. Leadership could not close a wedge that has developed within the local party structure, and the state DPNM shut down the local structure. Through that disarray a program that had been ongoing for decades, also shut down, and was at risk this 2023/24 school year of falling to the wayside.

The program administered when there was a functional DPOC awarded $300 scholarships to at least 4 students, each year, at the local schools.

In 2015, when Otero County had a functional Democratic Party organization and collaborative leadership, Nadia Sikes was quoted in the Alamogordo Daily News as saying, “One of the things we want to be known for is supporting education. Admittedly, our scholarships are only $300 but we're proud of the fact that we give one to every single public high school in the county and we open it up to include everybody, not just Democrats."

While the scholarship has been around since 2003, Sikes said the name was changed to the Nola Jones Scholarship named after a longtime teacher and resident of Otero County. The name change occurred in 2010

"(Jones) really had an impact on education, she was also a friend of the library and she was a very strong Democrat," Sikes said. "We named the scholarship after Nola because of her influence on education in Otero County."

Yet, as we roll into the 2023/24 school year about to end with a local Democratic Party in continued chaos, it appeared the tradition of awarding those annual scholarships was a dead cause.

But in the vein of “Alamogordo Proud” traditions; Nadia Sikes and local community business owner of Oasis Creative Designs and community advocate, Fred Moran stepped up.

Mr. Moran funded the 4 scholarships, and Mrs. Sikes did the leg work with the school counselors and kept the memory of Nola and the intent of lifting up students bound for higher education alive.

This year, Fred Moran and Nadia Sikes after being contacted by local guidance counselors, agreed they would work with the local school counselors and award four scholarships that they would fund and administer.

The awarded scholarships went to students that showed promise, but came from families that may have faced economic or familia difficulties over the last school year and yet the student persevered with pride and determination!

The awarded scholarships may be used by the students for books, nutritional or housing aid or in any manner the student feels will support their path forward, as they graduate and transition to the next phase of their life.

Financial sponsor, Fred Moran said, “it’s a helping hand to recognize these fine students and to provide them a slight lift upwards to the next phase of their life journey.”

Students that were awarded this 2024 scholarship enabled by Fred Moran and Nadia Sikes includes:

Gabriel Woolen and Narcisa Martinez, Ryne Cerra and Meghann Prather.

At 2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News and KALHRadio.org, via our #Alamogordo Proud Series, we celebrate these two community leaders, Fred Moran and Nadia Sikes for stepping up and filling the potential void, by taking independent action, collaborating, funding and awarding the four scholarships.

And, of course congratulations to Gabriel Woolen and Narcisa Martinez, Ryne Cerra, Meghann Prather for your accomplishments. Congratulations to each of you as you each represent the values of “Alamogordo Proud.”