Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – A Valley View senior is aiming to get involved in aerospace, and his educational journey may be a little easier thanks to a big financial boost.

Bryan Lopez has been drawing rockets since he was three years old. His fascination with aerospace only grew over the years, marked by family trips to the Kennedy Space Center, Blue Origin, and SpaceX. Now, his lifelong dream of building rockets is taking flight, backed by $125,000 in private scholarships for when he attends Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University this fall.

For his mother, Nita Lopez, the monumental gift is a testament to perseverance.

Bryan’s high school journey wasn’t without hurdles. A severe bout of pneumonia during his sophomore year caused his GPA to drop, briefly threatening his dream of attending a top-tier university. However, Nita said he fought his way back, working hard during his junior year to make the honor roll and raise his GPA.

“He just worked hard, and I saw him, and it just, he just gave it everything he had,” Nita said.

The $125,000 total will be distributed across his education, starting with a $50,000 memorial scholarship and a $25,000 “Future of Aeronautics” scholarship. The remaining $50,000 is slated to be awarded next fall.

The funds hold a weight far beyond their monetary value. The anonymous donors are family friends and relatives who wanted to honor Bryan’s late older brother. Nita said the two were inseparable, and after his brother’s passing, Bryan became deeply fascinated with rockets as a way to cope and focus his mind.

The initial $50,000 will be awarded as the Khalid Hoskins Memorial Scholarship in his brother’s name.

“That gesture is just more than what we could ever have hoped for, for them to believe in him like that,” Nita said. “It just held such deep meaning for our family in that it was given in the memory of his brother.”

Ensuring her son’s achievements and the donors’ generosity are recognized publicly became a priority for Nita out of a desire to inspire others.

“There are more kids like him out there that want to go and do things, and they just have to know that sometimes they’re being seen, even though they don’t believe they’re being seen,” Nita said. “You don’t need to give up on your dreams, because anyone could be watching.”

Local scholarships are announced at the Senior Assembly, the week prior to graduation, according to Valley View leadership.

“Each Valley View student will have an individual slide included in the Senior Assembly slideshow, which is also shown prior to the graduation ceremony,” a statement from the district read. “Students are encouraged to include the clubs and organizations they participated in during high school, as well as any awards or honors they have received. In addition, students may list private and/or institutional scholarships on their slide.”

Valley View seniors will graduate at the commencement scheduled for May 3.