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| Recipients of $1,000 scholarships from the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce pose with Dr. Don Stockton (center, in red), superintendent of Conroe ISD, during the Fiesta Universal in May. The recipients will attend Lone Star College-Montgomery or one of the other colleges in the Lone Star College System. |
MCHC LSC-Montgomery Scholarship Recipients Say ‘Yes!’
The Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber has awarded $14,000 in scholarships this year to area Hispanic students to attend Lone Star College-Montgomery or other Lone Star College System colleges.
This is the second year for the program, which was created to “further the education of Hispanics by providing financial aid to high school students interested in pursuing a college degree,” said Luciano A. Ruiz, Hispanic Chamber president and attorney. Overall, the chamber has awarded more than $25,000 in just two years.
“Our chamber was formed in 2003 to advance the business interests of Hispanics in our county,” added Ruiz. “In the subsequent years, we gradually became involved in supporting the education and academic welfare of Hispanic high school seniors enrolled in the Conroe Independent School District.”
The chamber raises the scholarship funds during its annual Cinco de Mayo celebration (primarily sponsored this year by Waste Management, WalMart and Silver Eagle) now called Fiesta Universal. The scholarship program began last year with the distribution of $11,000 in scholarships to enrolling LSC-Montgomery students and $1,000 to the CISD Education Foundation. The chamber gave an additional $1,000 to the CISD Education Foundation this year, as well as $1,000 to LSC-Montgomery and $1,000 to the South County Buyers Group.
Each scholarship recipient receives $1,000 to use towards tuition, fees and/or books at LSC-Montgomery, said Dr. Rosario Martinez Castillo, LSC-University Center director of articulation and university relations.
Caney Creek High School graduate Selina Figueroa said the scholarship funds will help her toward her goal of becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) with a concentration in neonatal nursing.
“It was a true blessing for me and my family,” said Figueroa, who has already taken courses from LSC-Montgomery through the dual-credit high school program.
A top student--ranking number 21 of her 360-member graduating class--Figueroa is a “natural born leader,” said her Navy Junior ROTC Unit Commander Peter Whipple.
“She has been a star in our NJROTC program for four years,” said Whipple. “Through hard work, dedicated commitment, involvement and reliability, she earned the top senior cadet job in our unit – cadet commanding officer. Her leadership was a key reason why our NJROTC program won the Navy’s top award--Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors--four years in a row.”
Another 2008 MCHC scholarship recipient with aspirations of becoming an Registered Nurse is Oak Ridge High School graduate Jessica Nino, who began using the scholarship to take summer courses at LSC-Montgomery.
“I am interested in nursing because I love to help others,” said Nino, who lettered in high school academics and volunteered with foster children, the Salvation Army, and the annual GE Run Thru The Woods charity fundraiser.
“We first met when Jessica was in my wife’s third grade bilingual class at Rice Elementary and we have since hired her for things such as childcare and tutoring,” said Skeeter Hubert, who serves on the both The Woodlands Community Association and South Montgomery County Woodlands Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
“When I ran for a position on the WCA Board I asked Jessica if she would volunteer to help me during election day. She agreed, and though the rainy election-day activities began at dawn and went until dusk, she stayed and worked without pay. She stood on roadsides holding signs in the rain with a smile on her face, expecting nothing in return.”
Nino said the MCHC scholarship is a special confirmation of her academic success.
“I realize the advantage that higher education brings to those who achieve it and I know that it will greatly impact my future,” she said. “I will be the first generation of my family to graduate from high school and go to college – I feel very fortunate to have received a scholarship.”
Oak Ridge High school graduate Felix Torres said he will use his scholarship funds to begin training to become an architect.
The ORHS football standout overcame the allure of the gang activity that surrounded him growing up and decided to pursue architecture after working for his uncle’s construction company.
“I used to love seeing how the houses he would build looked. I used to see how my uncle laid a brick wall and it fascinated me,” said Torres. “Architecture is the career I want to pursue and the reason I want to continue my schooling.”
Torres’ ORHS history teacher and football coach A.J. Eisenman said he was a champ dedicated to succeeding on and off of the field.
“Oftentimes the athlete’s drive for academic excellence does not equal up to that of their desire for their athletic aspirations, but this is not the case with Felix,” said Eisenman. “He was one of my brightest and most motivated students.”
In addition to Figueroa, Nino and Torres, the 2008 Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber LSC-Montgomery scholarship recipients are: Krista Alaniz, Angel Andrade, Luz Alvizo, Eric Gonzalez, Franklin Junay, Cristal Luna, Ana Ocampo, Ana Paz, Karen Ramirez, Jennifer Reyes, and Juan Delmas-Rodriguez.
LSC-Montgomery is located between Conroe and The Woodlands, at 3200 College Park Drive, one-half mile west of Interstate 45. For more information about the college, call (936) 273-7000, or visit Montgomery.LoneStar.edu.
Lone Star College System consists of five colleges, including CyFair, Kingwood, Montgomery, North Harris, and Tomball, six centers and Lone Star College-University Center. With 49,250 students, it is the largest college system in the Houston area, and third largest community college district in Texas. For more information, visit www.LoneStar.edu.
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Caption: Recipients of $1,000 scholarships from the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce pose with Dr. Don Stockton (center, in red), superintendent of Conroe ISD, during the Fiesta Universal in May. The recipients will attend Lone Star College-Montgomery or one of the other colleges in the Lone Star College System.