Yamboree Empowerment Scholarship
For Women
The Yamboree Empowerment Scholarship (YES) for Women was established in 2023 by the East Texas Yamboree Association and two Gilmer natives with strong ties to the Yamboree, Sally Greene and Laura Potter. YES for Women is a needs-based scholarship, with a preference for first-generation college students. This $5,000 award is designed to empower a young Upshur County woman graduating from a public high school with the financial base she needs to make college a reality.
89th Yamboree YES Scholarship Recipient
Vannia Romero
Gilmer High School
Vannia Romero graduated from Gilmer High School. A first-generation college student, Vannia plans to attend The University of Texas at Tyler, where she will major in Nursing and pursue her dream of becoming a Pediatric Oncology Nurse Practitioner. Throughout high school, Vannia balanced academic excellence with leadership, service, and work responsibilities. She was involved in the National Honor Society and FCCLA, where she helped organize community service projects. Her volunteer work includes supporting the National Down Syndrome Society’s Buddy Walk and and serving at her church. In addition to her academic and extracurricular commitments, Vannia worked approximately 25 hours per week at Chicken Express, earning praise from supervisors for her leadership, work ethic, and ability to mentor and train fellow employees.