7 SVVSD seniors receive scholarships from Longmont Latinx Voices
May 9—Seven high school seniors in the St. Vrain Valley School District will be presented with scholarships at the second annual Longmont Latinx Voices Scholarship Dinner on Saturday night.
The recipients, who will each receive $1,000, are Javier Amaya of Niwot High, Lizette Duran Valderrama of Skyline High, Kimberly Hernandez Delacruz of Longmont High, Alejandro Lozona Reyes of Longmont High, Daisy Moncada of Skyline High, Lilyana Sanchez of Silver Creek High and Alondra Uvina Perez of Longmont High.
"We're making sure the next generation has those opportunities, regardless of their backgrounds," said Longmont Latinx Voices treasurer Ray Rodriguez.
The Latino and Latina students will be able to put their scholarships toward post-secondary education options, including collegiate and trade school programs. Rodriguez said the application committee considered GPA and volunteer activities along with letters of recommendation and personal essays.
Saturday's event, which will be held at Moose Lodge in Longmont, features the first group of students to be awarded with the scholarships, as last year's dinner was only a fundraiser. Each student will be presented with a scholarship named in honor of a community member.
"We don't hear enough about the positive role models and leaders in our local community," Rodriguez said. "I think it's a great opportunity for (students) to be inspired by their peers' stories of achievement and resilience."
Victor Vela, founder and president of the nonprofit, said it was tough to narrow the winners down to seven from the 30 applicants. A common thread among the recipients, he said, is their dedicated service during their high school years, including working and taking care of family members.
"There were so many deserving applicants," he said. "It's unbelievable what some of these kids have endured to get to where they are."
Dinner guests will listen to keynote speakers Rhonda Solis, Latina member of the Colorado State Board of Education, and Luis Chavez, Skyline High School soccer coach, discuss the importance of scholarships in their lives. The night also includes a performance by the Niwot High School Mariachi Band and will end with a dance.
A longtime football and baseball coach, Vela started LLV in 2019 primarily to provide an "equal playing field" for young Latinx athletes in the Longmont area. Golf, softball and baseball tournament fundraisers are scheduled later this year to help Latinx youth and their families afford sports programs and equipment.
Vela said he expects to get
emotional Saturday night with the knowledge that LLV is playing a role in each of the students' educational and professional development.
"To sit there and see them smile from ear to ear when we present the certificate to them — that's what it's all about," he said.
The dinner is sold out, but donations to LLV can still be made at tinyurl.com/llvdinner2023. All proceeds will go to the scholarship fund for next year's recipients.
