The Hispanic Leadership Alliance (HLA) — a certified employee group of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) employees — presented scholarships to 33 students on Tuesday, May 28.

Scholarship recipients were recognized for leadership and mentoring skills in their educational and social activities. Candidates are committed to furthering their education while improving their communities. Each of the applicants will be the first in their families to attend a postsecondary institution.

Mirella Saldaña Torres, a past HLA scholarship recipient and current Lewis Leadership Academy resource teacher, said that she “came to the United States at age 10 not knowing the language or the culture” and as she prepared to graduate from high school, her high school teachers and the HLA scholarship she received “made a difference and helped her go to college.” She talked about the many hurdles she faced and shared with the audience that it is “important to always be yourself, celebrate who you are, and never change yourself for other people.”

The winners of the scholarships are:

• Frida Sagastume, Chantilly High School, Michael Kadow Memorial Scholarship. 
• Victoria Machado, Falls Church High School, Humberto Moore Cruz Memorial Scholarship
• Laina Huynh Amaya, Justice High School, St. John Family Legacy Scholarship. 
• Lisi Orozco Yoc, Lewis High School, Sonia Migdalia Rosa-Vélez Future Educator Scholarship.
• Santiago Gómez, Falls Church High School, Scholarship for Engineering. 
• Louis Mendieta, Fairfax High School, Scholarship for Engineering.
• Arlet Almarez Perez, Justice High School, Minerva Gorena Memorial Language Acquisition Scholarship.
• Gerson Barrera, Falls Church High School, Keith Buchanan Memorial Scholarship. 
• Celitt Felipes Garcia, Marshall High School, Keith Buchanan Memorial Scholarship. 
• Katerin Quispe, Justice High School, Scholarship for Leadership.
• Alison Coria Tarazona, Annandale High School, Scholarship for Leadership. 
• Regina García García, Marshall High School, Scholarship for Peace and Justice.   
• Celine Rojas, Falls Church High School, Scholarship for Perseverance. 
• Nayla Bonilla, Justice High School, Scholarship for STEAM. 
• Marilyn Aguilon, Justice High School, Scholarship for STEAM.
• Katherine Mejia, Centreville High School, Scholarship for STEAM.
• Yoselin Martínez, Justice High School, Scholarship for Social Activism. 
• Alexandra Castro Vélez, Lake Braddock Secondary School, Scholarship for STEAM. 
• Michael Barrera, Justice High School, Scholarship for STEAM. 
• Jarrethzi Rivera-Ayala, Herndon High School, Scholarship for STEAM.
• Pamela Navarrete, Annandale High School, Scholarship for STEAM. 
• Genesis Rivera , Justice High School, Scholarship for Future Educator. 
• Victor Hirmas, Justice High School, Scholarship for Art and Advocacy. 
• Eric Siles Hinojosa, Lewis High School, Scholarship for Leadership. 
• Hailey Membrano, Falls Church High School, Scholarship for Pre-Law.
• Jorge Carrasco, Justice High School, Scholarship for Engineering. 
• Mariela Menacho, Lake Braddock Secondary School, Lake Braddock Hispanic Student Association. 
• Gracia Sánchez, Lake Braddock Secondary School, Lake Braddock Hispanic Student Association. 
• Johana Reyes, Marshall High School, Marshall Latinos Unidos Joint Scholarship. 
• Katherine Cruz Orellano, West Springfield High School, West Springfield Hispanic Student Association Scholarship. 
• Paula de Megret, West Springfield High School, West Springfield Hispanic Student Association Scholarship. 
• María Escobar, West Springfield High School, West Springfield Hispanic Student Association Scholarship. 
• Alexandra Arispe Muñoz, West Springfield High School, West Springfield Hispanic Student Association Scholarship. 

For more information, contact Manuel Gomez Portillo at [email protected].