Category: Scholarships

André Curiel-Gutierrez (Stars Mill High School, Fayetteville, GA)
For any young immigrant, adjusting to a new country is difficult. It’s not only difficult to ​​leave friends and family behind, but facing a new culture and learning a new language can be intimidating. Like many, André Curiel-Gutierrez faced this reality at an early age when his mother moved he and his sisters from Mexico to the United States, seeking a better future. Doing so was made more difficult as the family moved around searching for stable work and a good community to take root in. For Andre, adapting every two years to a new city and a new school only fueled his desire to excel in school, knowing that education was a ticket to the better life his parents wanted for him. Our 2015 Alcanzando Un Sueño Scholarship winner was inspired each day by the hardships of his mother and by focusing on excelling in school graduated with honors from Stars Mill High School in Fayetteville, Georgia spring 2015. Later that year, he entered as part of the freshman class at one of the world’s top technology universities, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

 

Jennifer Hernandez (Carl Hayden Comm High School, Phoenix, AZ)
Fear of family separation is not something that most high school sophomores have to deal with, but for Jennifer Hernandez one traffic stop brought this reality front and center. As a child of undocumented parents, Jennifer understood the risks her parents faced in hopes of giving her and her four siblings a better life in America, but until her mother was detained by immigration, she hadn’t contemplated the impact it would have on her life. Not only did she have to become a mother to her four younger siblings all while continuing to maintain a rigorous academic load but she was also determined to see her mother set free. Knocking on doors, asking for help from every politician and civil rights organization, calling on the press and finally taking to the streets with a group of supporters she was finally able to see her mother free. We are proud to name Jennifer Hernandez winner of the 2015 Alcanzando Un Sueño Scholarship. Jennifer graduated as Valedictorian of Carl Hayden Community High School in Phoenix, Arizona and attended the University of Southern California.

 

Erika Trejo (Kennesaw Mountain High School, Kennesaw, GA)
“Obstacles are defined in Webster’s dictionary as ‘something that blocks your path’, and indeed, I see them as ‘blocks’, but instead of blocking my path, I use them as building blocks to improve my personal and academic foundation” says our 2015 Alcanzado Un Sueño Scholarship recipient, Erika Trejo of Kennesaw Mountain High School. Erika has faced many obstacles in her family, through numerous illnesses that left her with a desire to peruse a medical career. Her participation in an internship program in the Neuro-Surgical Department at Kennestone Hospital helped to solidify her career goals and enter Georgia Tech to pursue a degree in biochemical engineering with the goal of entering Medical School after college.

 

 

Juan Panduro (Metro Tech High School, Phoenix, AZ)
Childhood cancer claimed the vision in one of his eyes, but left him with an indomitable will to rise above this challenge and set the bar higher than life had intended for him. Moving through life with a disability was not easy, but Juan knew that his life was spared for a greater purpose and because of this, he studied longer and harder than the rest. Today, Juan Panduro is a recipient of the 2015 Alcanzando Un Sueño Scholarship, graduated 4th in a class of 358 at Metro Tech High School and headed to his first year college at Barrett, The Honors College at ASU.  “I am Juan Panduro. I am a cancer survivor and life for me has just begun.”

 

 

Cesar Porcayo (Centra Gwinnett High School, Lawrenceville, GA)
It’s easy for most students to take for granted the fact that in Atlanta, 9 of 10 households have a computer at home and that for most, the latest app is two clicks and a download away. These items, which are the basic tools for today’s student, were out of reach for the son of impoverished immigrants. Simple assignments for most became feats for a student like Cesar Porcayo, whose parents didn’t own a car and could barely afford to keep a roof over their heads. Seeing the struggles they faced and frustrated by the long hours his mother worked to make ends meet, as a sophomore, Cesar decided to take on a job to help his family, saving enough to buy them the car they desperately needed. If Cesar learned one thing from his family it was that education was the way out of poverty and he took that heart, pouring his best efforts into his studies. Our 2015 recipient of the Alcanzado Un Sueño Scholarship graduated in the top 3% of his class at Central Gwinnett High School and this fall with enter Georgia Tech!

 

 

Jakqueline Granillo (Metro Tech High School, Phoenix, AZ) 
Impossible does not exist. It’s only a placeholder to fill space for something that is yet to be discovered. Jakqueline Granillo believes in turning the impossible into reality and her secret is education. As a survivor of domestic violence and poverty, she learned from her mother that all things are possible through hard work, discipline and focus. Jakqueline is the recipient of the 2015 Alcanzando Un Sueño Scholarship, graduated 5 out of 358 students in her class Metro Tech High School in Phoenix, Arizona and moved to Massachusetts to study Aeronautical Engineering at the prestigious Smith College.

 

Salvador Alvarado, Berkmar High School (Lawrenceville, GA)
“Lack of resources, a fragmented family and a violence infested community” are only part of the struggles that Salvador Alvarado, native of El Salvador, used as fuel to feed his strong appetite for success. This 2014 graduate of Berkmar High School understood that in order to bring change to his life he couldn’t conform to being a simple “bystander“ and as President of the National Honor Society at Berkmar, spearheaded many community service projects while maintaining a 3.91 GPA. Salvador later attended Mount Washington College in pursuit of a law degree. Congratulations Salvador!

 

 

Carlos Escobar, Pebblebrook High School (Mableton, GA)
Transitioning to middle school was especially important for this 2014 Cruz Scholar because after two years struggling to keep up in school without speaking English, Carlos Escobar finally understood what his teachers were saying. With the help of classmates and caring teachers, Carlos caught on quick and in no time was making Honor Roll consistently. In 2014, Carlos graduated top of his class as Valedictorian at Pebblebrook High School in Mableton, GA. His journey has not been easy and he continued to work through obstacles in his quest for higher education. We salute your commitment to academic excellence Carlos. Congratulations!

 

 

Lizaremi Luna-Sousa, Chamblee High School (Chamblee, GA)
Lizaremi’s parents fled their poverty stricken village in search of a new and better life for their children. Seeing her parents struggle to make ends meet was not lost on Lizaremi, she used their hardship as motivation to excel in all of her academic endeavors. “There were many obstacles for me when I came to this country; language, culture, financial difficulties, but I knew there were only two choices, give up or persevere” Lizaremi’s commitment to education resulted in an impressive academic resume that includes membership in the National Governor’s Honors Program, National Honors Society, National Hispanic Honors Society and National Science Honors Society. She graduated as Valedictorian at Chamblee Charter High School and attended Cornell University to pursue a career in neurology. Because of her dedication to education, we were proud to honor her as a ‪#‎2014CruzScholar

 

Ivan Sanchez – Marietta High School (Marietta, GA)
Accepted to Emory University, Brown University, Georgia Tech and the University of Pennsylvania, this Marietta High School graduate and Gates Millennium Scholars understood very well when his mother told him, “la educación es la clave del éxito” Ivan Sanchez is not only a stand out scholar, but participates in countless student organizations and community service projects in his community, especially those that focus on elevating other Hispanic children. Proud of his Mexican roots, Ivan hopes to motivate other Hispanic students to “achieve their goals” despite the circumstances they might be facing. We are honored to have Ivan as a 2014 #CruzScholar. Congratulations Ivan!

 

 

Angela Ponce (Central High School, Phoenix, AZ)
My name is Angela Ponce and I am a recent graduate from the University of Arizona. I earned a Bachelor’s in Science majoring in Nutritional Sciences and minoring in Biochemistry. I was the first Cruz Scholarship recipient from Arizona and it has definitely been an honor! I am currently working at Abrazo Heart Institute while I wait to hear back from the Peace Corps and hopefully spend two years in Albania as a health volunteer. After that, I hope to apply to Physician Assistant school. I absolutely love to dance and have taught dance classes throughout the Phoenix and South Tucson area and plan to keep dance as a part of my life for as long as I possibly can!

 

 

Francisco Garcia was a 2013 Cruz Scholar. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with dual Bachelors of Science degrees in Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering. Currently, he is a PhD candidate in Myriam Heiman’s lab within the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT. His research focuses on transcriptome profiling of the blood-brain barrier in healthy and diseased humans to aid in designing better in-vitro technologies for drug development of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to his research, he is also a company member with a Boston contemporary dance studio, Urbanity Dance, and actively train in ballet, modern, and contemporary throughout the Boston-Cambridge area.

 

 

 Dulce Gallo is a recent graduate from Syracuse University, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She graduated with a double major in Policy Studies and Political Science. In her own words: “Thanks to scholarships like POSSE Atlanta and the Alcanzando Un Sueño Scholarship Fund I was able to pursuit my dream of becoming the first in my family to have access to higher education.” As a DACA student and now someone in the work force she works towards empowering tomorrow’s future leaders through education. She spent her first year out of college working as a 5th grade Math teacher at Uncommon Charter schools in Brooklyn, NY. She currently works at Agape Youth and Family Center as the Education and Post-Secondary Specialist for North Atlanta High School. “Being an educator allows me to empower our youth and to teach them que si se puede!”

 

 

Dilan Garcia Studied Law at Emory University, he was born in Mexico City, a beautiful metropolis in the heart of Mexico. When he was 8 years old, his parents decided that coming to America was the only way that they could assure a better future for their children. He has worked hard to make sure that the opportunity that they sacrificed so much for does not go to waste. He states “Cruz & Associates was able to grant me the ability to pursue a career in business and reach the future that my parents had dreamed about ever since I was a kid.”

 

 

 

 

Jasmine Olivera Attended Mercer University to be a pediatrician.

Ranulfo Ramos Admitted in Pomona College for architecture.