Alhambra Latino Association Honors 5 Local Students Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

May, 2020, Alhambra, CA - Established in 1995, the Alhambra Latino Association (ALA), a 501(c)3 non-profit, has been committed to supporting the educational and cultural growth of the children and parents in the Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD). By organizing cultural programming that celebrates Latino heritage, creating educational workshops that prepare youth for higher education, and fundraising year-round to award local students with scholarships, ALA has illustrated this commitment. With a dedicated board made up of local educators, community leaders, business owners, and local stakeholders, the non-profit has grown since its inception and continues its mission today amid the current global pandemic.
 
Since 1997, ALA has hosted the annual scholarship awards ceremony which honors students from the five high schools in the Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and out of concern for the safety of our students, community members and board, we have decided to cancel the 2020 Annual Scholarship Fundraiser Dinner & Dance.
 
Nonetheless, ALA is still honoring the five winning students for their tremendous accomplishments in academics, civic service, and dedication to cultural representation with a $1,000 scholarship. We know so many of our students rely on these dollars to help with the costs of continuing their education.
 
We are proud to present the 2020 Alhambra Latino Association Scholarship recipients:
 
Skye Juarez, Alhambra HS
Brayan Lugo, Century HS
Helena Villanueva, Independence HS
Selina Maya Martinez, Mark Keppel HS
Jason Lou Gonzalez, San Gabriel HS
 
Read below for a short biography on each of the five winners.
  
Sky Juarez, Alhambra HS
 
Skye began her education at Park Elementary School in Alhambra. Skye will be attending Pasadena City College in the fall, majoring in biology. Her goal is to become an obstetrician, also known as OB/GYN, a doctor who specializes in pregnancy, childbirth, and women's reproductive systems. In her free time, she volunteers at the College and Career Center at Alhambra High School.

 
Brayan Lugo, Century HS
 
Born in Phoenix, Arizona and raised in Mexico City, Brayan describes himself as an entrepreneur. Now residing in Monterey Park, he looks to major in business at ELAC in the fall. With this education, he seeks to build his identity as a businessman and support affordable housing solutions for homeless communities in California.
 
Helena Villanueva, Independence HS
 
Born and raised in Monterey Park and with an education from Repetto Elementary and Independence High School, Helena will attend Rio Hondo College in the fall and major in Psychology. After achieving her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she aims to become a teacher to aid in the growth of local students. While working as a teacher, she will continue her education to become a licensed psychologist.
 
Selina Maya Martinez, Mark Keppel HS
 
Residing in Rosemead today, Selina has been active during her summers. Her experience participating in the MIT Women’s Technology Program and a similar program at University of Chicago has shaped her life goal of curing Alzheimer’s Disease. In the fall she will be attending the University of Southern California and will major in electrical and computer engineering.
 
Jason Lou Gonzalez, San Gabriel HS
 
Jason Lou Gonzalez identifies as Chinese and Hispanic. His experience volunteering and translating for patients both in Cantonese and Spanish at Monterey Park Hospital has fueled his desire to become a cardiologist. Jason will be attending Yale in the fall, seeking to major in chemistry at either campus to continue his career in supporting diverse communities.
 
In addition to continuing this annual graduating senior award, ALA has also awarded each of the 13 AUSD elementary school 8th grade classes with gift cards from Office Depot that will support educational activities and programming. Despite the need for stay at home orders and social distancing practices, the Alhambra Latino Association strives to continue its mission of supporting local youth achieve their dreams in and beyond the San Gabriel Valley.
 
 ALA could not honor these 5 students with the financial support from our community. Consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Alhambra Latino Association today! 
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​Sincerely,
 
ALA Advisory Board, Alhambra Latino Association
www.alhambralatinoassociation.com
Email: alhambralatinoassociation@gmail.com
Phone: 626.692.5282