Dreamers. Doers. Daniels Scholars.

Three Garfield Re-2 Students Win One of the Region’s Most Prestigious Scholarships

They’re state champions, community leaders, entrepreneurs, and future innovators—and now, three remarkable seniors from Garfield Re-2 are officially Daniels Scholars, joining a class of just over 200 students selected from thousands across Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Winter Keeney and Samantha Smythe from Coal Ridge High School and Jefferson “Jeff” Torres from Rifle High School have been awarded the prestigious Daniels Fund Scholarship, which covers up to $100,000 toward a bachelor’s degree at any accredited, nonprofit college or university in the country. The award is based not just on academic excellence, but on character, leadership, and a commitment to giving back—qualities all three of these students embody in spades.

Winter Keeney – Future Radiology Innovator and Four-Time State Champ

If anyone knows how to balance ambition and heart, it’s Winter Keeney. A four-year varsity cheerleader and four-time state title holder, Winter is no stranger to high stakes—or hard work. The moment she saw “Congratulations” on her Daniels Scholarship portal, she was standing in a school hallway, laptop in hand. “I literally opened it right there,” she recalled, “and I immediately called my mom.”

Winter plans to attend Colorado Mesa University and major in Radiologic Sciences, with the dream of opening her own radiology business outside of a traditional hospital setting. 

“I want to be part of something innovative,” she said. 

Academically, Winter has pursued a challenging course load, taking honors, AP, and CMC classes throughout high school. Outside the classroom, she’s been a ski club member, varsity choir singer, all-star cheer coach, and cashier at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. 

She went in ready for the challenge of the daunting Daniels interview process.

“The hardest part of the Daniels process was actually the prep—building a resume, finding business clothes I liked—but the mock interview with our counselors really helped. I went in nervous and came out confident.”

Samantha Smythe – Empathetic Leader and Sports Psychology Trailblazer

When Samantha Smythe found out she’d been named a Daniels Scholar, she was in the Coal Ridge locker room just before track practice, trying to read the words on the screen. 

“I couldn’t read it. My friend had to tell me, ‘It says congratulations!’ Then I just started jumping up and down.”

A track and cross country athlete, National Honor Society co-vice president, and volunteer with RIDE, a therapeutic horseback riding program, Samantha’s high school journey has been defined by service and compassion. 

“I’ve been volunteering with RIDE since I was 11,” she said. “Working with people of all abilities has really opened my eyes. It teaches you empathy—you start to see people as whole humans, not labels.”

Samantha is headed to the University of Denver to study sports psychology, with dreams of working with professional athletes to help them overcome mental barriers. 

“I’ve felt that block myself—where you overthink something and just can’t perform,” she said. “I want to help people push past that.”

With a track tan earned from her hours of training and an a head full of knowledge from her favorite class -  AP Psychology- Samantha is a natural fit for the field. 

Before heading to the next level, she's balancing her coursework at Colorado Mountain College and Advanced Placement coursework, and plans to work at RIDE this summer. 

Jefferson “Jeff” Torres – Engineer, Innovator, and Rifle’s First Daniels Scholar in Years

In a quiet eighth-period classroom, Jefferson Torres saw an email alert: Your application status has been updated. “I tried to log into the portal, but I couldn’t remember my password,” laughed Jeff.

What followed was a flurry of password resets, shaking hands, and finally—a massive “Congratulations” on the screen. “I was so nervous,” he said, “but once I saw that word, I was beyond happy. I knew what it meant—not just for me, but for my family.”

It is the launch pad to a journey that his parents have encouraged him to work for.

“They both said to take advantage of all the opportunities you can get, and work hard. They've always been there to support me,” he explained. “To make them proud by letting them know that they don’t have to worry about helping me pay for college or me taking on a bunch of debt - that really means a lot to them and to me.”

Jeff will be the first in his family to attend college. A full International Baccalaureate diploma candidate, and a key player on the RHS soccer team, Jeff helped launch a concession stand that raised $700 for the program.

When he realized that there were no snacks or beverages at the soccer games, Jeff thought, “Why don’t we do it ourselves?” He bought the supplies, set up before warm-ups and the money raised helps support his team. 

He’s also proud to represent Rifle in a big way as the first Daniels Scholar in what is believed to be two decades or more. 

“Hopefully I’m the first of many. I want the juniors coming up to know they can do this too.”

Jeff plans to study mechanical engineering, with hopes of specializing in aerospace or automotive design. Inspired by the innovations of SpaceX and fascinated by flight, he dreams of helping solve big problems like navigation and fuel efficiency. He’ll begin at Colorado Mesa University, but with the Daniels Scholarship’s flexibility, he’s eyeing a transfer to CU Boulder or Colorado School of Mines. 

“The Daniels makes dreams like that possible,” he said.

These three students are more than high achievers. They’re storytellers, innovators, and bridge builders. And now, they’re Daniels Scholars. 

Garfield Re-2 is proud beyond words.