Jacob Cordova knows what it means to be well-rounded. 

The 2026 Coal Ridge High School graduate and Glenwood Hot Springs lifeguard has built a resume over the past four years that includes sports, academics, community service, and work experience.  Now, it has earned him the 2026 Glenwood Hot Springs Resort Higher Education Scholarship — a $16,000 award given each year to one local student who has demonstrated excellence as both a student and an employee of Glenwood Hot Springs Resort.

“It’s awesome (to receive this recognition),” Cordova said. “The way they’re able to support a local kid like this is amazing. It really shows how much this community loves and supports each other. It’s been really fun to work here at the Hot Springs, and seeing their relationship with the community and other local businesses.”

2026 marks the 31st time the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort has awarded a scholarship to a local student, bringing the total to $295,000 since the program began. 

Hot Springs Higher Education Scholarship board member Stacey James said her favorite part of serving on a local board that uplifts local youth into thriving community members is being able to help those who need it. 

“It’s not always about the GPA that they have,” James explained. “A lot of the time, it’s looking at a bunch of different things and how they spend their time. It’s really neat to be a part of these kids’ lives and to find the people who need this help.

“The Glenwood Hot Springs Resort Higher Education Scholarship was created in 1995 to financially assist goal-oriented individuals in attending accredited institutions of higher learning, including four-year colleges and universities, community colleges, or trade schools. To date, Glenwood Hot Springs has awarded $295,000 to deserving young people, with scholarships payable per semester over the course of four years, and requiring each recipient to be a student in good standing,” the Hot Springs said in a release announcing Cordova’s accomplishment.

Cordova plans to attend Colorado Mesa University in the fall and will pursue a career in electrical linework, a path that will keep him outdoors and close to the valley that shaped him.

James noted the way Cordova looks at the world as to why he stood above the rest of the applicants. 

“He is such a smart kid and looks at things in a very bright light,” she said. “He had a ton of community service, fantastic grades, and he was looking for a realistic opportunity for him. He wants to be in the valley and near his family, and he was super interested in the program at Mesa. He’s just a fantastic kid.”

Cordova said he first became interested in electrical work through his friend, who is apprenticing at Holy Cross Energy. As his research progressed, he learned that doing electrical linework keeps you busy, pays well, and, most importantly, gets you out into the elements. 

“I eventually did a ride-along with Holy Cross Energy — spending a day out with them on the job and seeing what the work life’s all about, and I really just loved it,” Cordova said. “Being outside in the elements feels really good, and I think it’s the career for me. I love being outside, and I can’t be inside sitting on my butt all day long.”

The Silt native tried a little bit of everything during his tenure at Coal Ridge High School in New Castle.

In addition to his main sports — football and track — Cordova played baseball, wrestled, and even served as a stand-in for the 2025 Coal Ridge co-ed cheerleading team during its pursuit of an eighth straight state title. He also was a member of the National Honor Society, volunteered with local nonprofits and school programs, and earned academic all-state honors all four years of high school. 

“I need to be doing something with my body,” he said. “Being so well-rounded and everything that I managed to get on my resume definitely helped me get the scholarship and get to where I am today. 

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“I feel like there’s still so much I could have done and more I could have achieved, but then I’ll look around my room and see all the different sports and athletic accolades I’ve collected, and I think ‘I should cut myself some slack,'” he said. 

Cordova said the same attitude that carried him through high school will help guide him into his next chapter.

“It’s just about being committed to being kind,” he said. “Being a lineman is much more than just a job; it’s a career that takes discipline, dedication, and pride in helping the community. This scholarship is bringing me a step closer to the future goals that I dream of achieving. The scholarship money that I have received will help cover tuition, tools, equipment, and other costs needed for this program.”