Amira Shutiva, 2024, Grants High School graduate, was recently awarded the third annual Steve Bell GHS Athletic Scholarship. Steve was an outstanding athlete who grew up in Quemado, New Mexico and relocated to Grants after surviving cancer. He passed in 2018 and is survived by his wife, Helen and three children, Darrell, Jackie, and Michelle, as well as grandchildren and great grandchildren in the area. Steve overcame many difficulties to become the first wheelchair bound police detective in New Mexico and served the community as a police officer for many years, founding the Kids and Cops Rodeo and coaching girls basketball at GHS.
The scholarship committee believes Steve would be very proud to support a local graduate who also wants to one day work as a police detective. Amira’s scholarship application was excellent and the award committee was very happy to hear that, like Steve, she intends to work in law enforcement and dedicate herself to her community. Amira says most of her family works in law enforcement and she would like to follow in their footsteps. She says that, in the same way Steve “never stopped because of his problem, I will not stop my education in being a detective no matter how hard school gets.”
Committee member, Jonnie Head, said she and other members enjoyed reading Amira’s essay, that it demonstrated enthusiasm and commitment, which the committee hopes will take Miss Shutiva far. Best wishes to this standout graduate. Her community hopes she succeeds in all her plans for the future.