Kaz and Associates Scholarship
Hello team,
Thank you for all of your support this season and we hope that you enjoyed the ice cream and lumpia at our Awards Ceremony! Yesterday marks the first time we have had the ability and honor to award a graduating senior with an academic scholarship. Thank you to Kaz and Associates for their generous support of our team to enable this scholarship to happen!
Here is a note from our Scholarship Committee and Fundraising Coordinators!
The winner of the
Benicia Stingray 2025 Kaz & Associates Environmental Scholarship is Justin Magno.
Justin wrote an essay reflecting on his years on the Benicia Stingray Swim team. We share his essay with you and hope his experience will inspire your swimmer to continue on, work hard and contribute to the Stingray Swim Team. We thank Justin for his leadership, hard work and willingness to share his experiences with us.
The Benicia Stingray Swim Team Family congratulates Justin on being the first to receive the Benicia Stingray Scholarship. There is no one more deserving!
Dear Stingray Scholarship Committee,
My name is Justin Magno, I am 18 years old, and this fall I will be continuing my education at UC Berkeley, entering as an integrative biology major. I recently graduated from Benicia High School, where I competed on the school’s cross country and swim teams. I additionally served as the president of our school’s National Honor Society, treasurer and fundraising committee chair for our school’s Key Club, and was a Sources of Strength leader promoting youth mental health awareness. I’ve consistently swam with the Benicia Stingrays over the last 13 years, and worked to establish the One More Lap Program and helped manage the Knightrays program for the team. I am considering pursuing a career in education and earning a teaching credential in my future.
My name is Justin Magno, I am 18 years old, and this fall I will be continuing my education at UC Berkeley, entering as an integrative biology major. I recently graduated from Benicia High School, where I competed on the school’s cross country and swim teams. I additionally served as the president of our school’s National Honor Society, treasurer and fundraising committee chair for our school’s Key Club, and was a Sources of Strength leader promoting youth mental health awareness. I’ve consistently swam with the Benicia Stingrays over the last 13 years, and worked to establish the One More Lap Program and helped manage the Knightrays program for the team. I am considering pursuing a career in education and earning a teaching credential in my future.
Reflecting on the past 13 years with the Benicia Stingrays, the team has helped me grow both as an athlete and as a person. From a young age I developed a strong work ethic which I believe can largely be attributed to Coach Steve and Coach Joe. They were exemplary role models who set defined expectations and always pushed me to be better, at times physically guiding me through ways to improve my stroke. As I got faster I learned the importance of consistency and the rewarding sense of seeing the positive results of my hard work. I’ve applied this same work ethic to various aspects of my life including my high school cross country team and classwork.
Beyond this, I found the Benicia Stingrays gave me numerous opportunities to improve myself as a person through leadership opportunities. Though I never served as a junior coach, Coach Mariska still got me involved with the team by starting the Knightrays. These past 4 years, the Knightrays have strengthened the community of our team by giving older swimmers a chance to connect outside of swim practice through poster making, while also letting them interact with younger swimmers during poster deliveries. I’ve additionally worked to establish the One More Lap program on the team which has reduced swim equipment waste while saving Stingray families money. Through these programs I’ve learned organizational and time management skills which I have applied to leading clubs and various events at school. Working with Coach Mariska to start these programs for the Stingrays, I gained valuable experience and confidence which I am deeply grateful for.
Though the early morning practices, late night swim meets, and deep time commitment for swimming can all be challenging, the deep sense of community and belonging the team provides all justify it. The Benicia Stingrays have positively benefited my life even in contexts outside of the pool. Though I am saddened to be leaving the Stingrays this year, I am thankful for the opportunities the team has been providing me for almost my entire life. I am excited for my future and know the experiences of swimming will continue to influence it.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Justin Magno
The Benicia Stingray Swim Team Family wishes Justin Magno much success. GO BEARS!
