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1985 graduate awards four PHS seniors with laptops

As a 1985 Pasadena High School graduate and successful businessman, Curt Bludworth is familiar with the history and success that his alma mater breeds. And to help jump-start the success of Pasadena High’s graduating class of 2008, Bludworth recently presented four seniors with HP laptops.

“A computer allows students to access, use and analyze information in a way that affords them tremendous opportunities to make informed decisions,” Bludworth said who is the Director of Human Resources for Global Information Technology for Hewlett-Packard. “Knowledge is essential to making good decisions, and a laptop provides a portal to the world of knowledge. We live in a global world and our graduates need to be equipped to interact in it so they can stay competitive.”

Bludworth created an essay contest for Pasadena High seniors called “Curt Bludworth and Friends Essay Contest.” Through the contest, Bludworth challenged participating students to reflect on their years at Pasadena High and write an essay explaining what it means to be a PHS graduate and how they will use the values and ideas they learned to help them forge the path to their future. Seniors Brittany Zick, Oscar Guerra, Kristy Vargas and Tanner Trimm were chosen as the winners and received the laptops.

“I know we have a lot of smart, hard-working seniors at Pasadena and I wanted to provide a few of these students a great tool they can use to capitalize on all the opportunity that awaits them after graduation,” Bludworth said.

Guerra said receiving the laptop means much more to him than being able to surf the web and chat with friends.

“This means an opportunity to better myself in college,” he said. “It means knowing there will always be kind and generous people willing to stretch out a hand to help, no matter how tough it may be. Most of all, it’s knowing that in the road of life, there are some who choose to be passengers and some who choose be drivers—but there is only one Curt Bludworth who chooses to be a driver and make things happen.”

Bludworth said he chose the essay topic that he did because he thinks it’s important for students to reflect on their time during high school and to put on paper what road they want to take into their future.

“Everyone at PHS is blessed to be a part of the rich and deep history of our high school,” he said. “To better prepare for the future, you have to appreciate how much our history has helped prepare us to interact with what’s ahead. I wanted the students to really think about PHS and what it means to be an Eagle and to realize once they move on, they too become a part of this school’s history—the very history that has helped make them who they are today.”

Only three essay winners were supposed to be chosen, but Bludworth said he reviewed each of the final 10 papers at least six times before deciding on four winners.

“All of the papers were phenomenal, but I had to choose the four clear winners,” Bludworth said. “They each struck a chord with me, but what ultimately put the four winners over the finish line was that each of their papers exhibited integrity, honesty, pride, respect and passion for their future.”

Bludworth described Trimm’s essay as a “compelling story” and he commented on how “real and very talented” Zick was in her story. Bludworth also admired Guerra’s essay saying it was the “most interesting and edgy.” Vargas’ poem received Bludworth’s praise on her “originality” as well as for being able to tell a story through a poem that could be easily understood.

“It was really cool what these kids did with this challenge,” Bludworth said. “I was amazed at what all of them had to say, and I enjoyed reading all of their essays.”

Pasadena High School librarian and contest facilitator Jane Golenko offered her congratulations to the students.

“We are so proud of these students and what they have accomplished not only in this essay contest but in their time here at Pasadena High,” she said. “They are outstanding students, and I know they will find great use for these laptops.”

Each laptop was equipped with Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition, a web camera, a laptop cleaning kit, Wi-Fi and a carrying case.

Trimm said Bludworth is a PHS graduate who truly demonstrates what it is to have Eagle Pride and that he can’t thank him enough for the laptop.

“To be honored by someone who graduated from my school and has become so successful is a great feeling,” he said. “The laptop is a tremendous help to me for my future. I hope that some day I, too, can come back to PHS and be as generous to students as he has been in helping me with my future.”

Bludworth said it feels great to help the students in this way.

“I just want these kids to go out there and contribute,” he said. “I want them to contribute to their families, friends, jobs, communities and their spirituality. I’ll feel really good if one day one of these kids comes back to Pasadena High School to give something back to the next generation—that’s what it’s all about.”