High School Seniors Can Apply For Dolores Huerta Scholarship

TEMPE, AZ — High school seniors in Tempe are eligible to apply for a scholarship award named for an iconic civil rights activist and community organizer.

April 10 has been designated as Dolores Huerta Day to honor the woman known for her role in the United Farm Workers union and for coining the "Si Se Puede!" phrase. To celebrate the day, the city of Tempe will give out at least one scholarship to a deserving high school senior involved in community organizing, civic engagement or policy advocacy: the Dolores Huerta Advocacy and Social Justice Award.

“There is a renewed rallying cry for social justice throughout our region and our country," Tempe City Councilmember Lauren Kuby said in a statement. "The City of Tempe, in creating the Dolores Huerta Day of Social Justice and Advocacy and our Human Relations Commission, in awarding this inaugural scholarship, continue to challenge our community to elevate the lives of all our residents and promote positive change in our City.”

Each nominee for the $1,000 scholarship must be a high school senior and must either live in Tempe or attend a local high school. The work a nominee does can extend beyond Tempe's boundaries. An average of B grades or higher is preferred.

Huerta co-founded the union with Cesar Chavez in 1962 and was responsible for many of its successes, including collective bargaining. She received the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award from President Bill Clinton in 1998 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2012.

Teens must apply for the scholarship by March 26 online. Winners will be contacted on April 5 and honored at Tempe's 8th Annual State of the Neighborhoods and Awards on April 17.