Outstanding teen keeps family’s dream alive
Diana and Javier Contreras immigrated to the United States from Guadalupe Victoria Municipality in Durango, Mexico. They sought a better life for the children they planned to have.
“They wanted us to reach our dreams that they weren’t able to reach,” says Javier Jr., the second eldest of the couple’s six children.
His achievements demonstrate that he’s making the most of the opportunities his parents’ foresight and sacrifice opened up for him. He’s headed to the University of Kansas in August on a full-ride scholarship to major in pre-dental or business. He graduated last month from Olathe North where he played soccer and wrestling. While in high school, he earned 24 college credits. At mid-year, his grade point average was 3.97. In February, he won the state wrestling championship in the 145-pound class.
Javier Jr. is one of only 275 high school seniors nationwide and the only Kansan to win the Western Golf Association’s Chick Evans Scholarship this year. Scholarship winners are chosen on four selection criteria – a strong golf caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.
The scholarship’s estimated value is about $100,000. It covers housing and tuition for four years. Evans scholars can choose among 19 universities with a Western Golf Association (WGA) Evans Scholarship House. Contreras is one of 10 freshman Evans scholars attending KU.
The WGA, headquartered in Golf, Ill., has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program since 1930. It was named for the late amateur golf champion, Chick Evans, the first amateur to win both U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur in the same year.
Since seventh grade, Contreras has been a caddie at Indian Hills Country Club in Mission Hills. On average, he caddies 16 hours a week during the school year and 24 to 30 hours a week during summer break. He’s caddying full time this summer. His first wrestling coach, John Cameron introduced him to caddying.
“He caddied at Indian Hills when he was my age,” Contreras says.
The Denver, Colo.-born caddie excels outside of school as well as academically and athletically. He’s a dedicated musician, playing several instruments -- guitar, accordion, and bass. His favored genre is “requinto guitar music.” Contreras’s enthusiasm for music carries over into his spiritual life. He’s involved with youth ministry at his church, Iglesia Evangelica Cristiana Espiritual as a music instructor. He also helps out with the women’s choir.
At some point, he’ll have to decide between a career in business or dentistry.
“I would be a good dentist and being bilingual, I could help a lot of people,” he says.
Wanting to inspire and motivate his four younger siblings, as his older brother, Armando did for him, Contreras took Jahir, a younger brother with him to an orientation session on the KU campus this week.
“My dad is my role model,” he says. “He’s a hard worker; he sacrifices a lot to keep his family in a healthy place, and he helps us have a good relationship with God.”
