In 1986, John A. Yates, Sr. and his late wife, Peggy Yates, established the Sacramento Mountains Scholarship Fund (SMSF) to support deserving students from Cloudcroft and Weed, New Mexico. Later, John and his wife, Charlotte Yates, continued to steward the fund, faithfully managing its operations until John’s passing in November 2022.
John’s legacy of generosity continues to shine. Upon his death, the SMSF received additional funding, allowing for an expansion of the scholarship program to neighboring communities, including Artesia and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Today, the SMSF operates as a private 501(c)(3) foundation, managed by current trustee Yvonne Palmer and Yates Legacy, LLC, based in Artesia, NM.
The Sacramento Mountains Scholarship Fund is intended to be used exclusively for a student’s tuition, room and board, school fees, or other academically related expenses. Funds are paid directly to the qualified college, university, vocational, training, or technical school the student attends. Scholarships may be renewed annually as long as the student continues to meet eligibility requirements.
If you are a current student of Cloudcroft High School, Artesia High School, Las Cruces High School, Centennial High School, or Organ Mountain High School, you are eligible to apply. Click the link below to access the application.
Awards are based on the following criteria:
- Academic Performance – Minimum 2.5 GPA
- Financial Need
- College Readiness
- Faculty Recommendations
- Personal Character