26 FCPS Students Awarded Hispanic Leadership Alliance Scholarships

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — The Hispanic Leadership Alliance, a certified employee group of Fairfax County Public Schools employees, awarded scholarships to 26 students, each of whom will be the first in their families to attend a postsecondary institution.

Scholarship recipients were recognized for leadership and mentoring skills in their educational and social activities.

"As I listened to each student talk about their career plans, it was amazing to hear the diversity of areas they will go into," retired FCPS educator Teddi Predaris said in a statement.

"I couldn’t help but think what a better place this world will be with these young leaders fulfilling their potential and coming together to serve in an interwoven tapestry of critical areas that can help shape the tenor of their and future generations," Predaris said.

The winners of the scholarships are:

Annandale High School

• Allison Costellanos Rodas, Scholarship for Service

Centreville High School

• Yara Gonzáles-Fernández, Community Action and Service Scholarship
• Gemma Najarro, Peace and Justice Scholarship

Fairfax High School

• Samuel Orellano Martinez, Scholarship for Engineering

Falls Church High School

• Nicole Claure Palaguerra, Scholarship for Perseverance
• Sheila Valenzuela, Scholarship for Finance.

Justice High School

• Tracy Echais-Ramos, Scholarship for Art
• Nelda Girón Mazariegos, Scholarship for Leadership
• Keylin Reyes Amaya, Minerva Gorena Language Acquisition Scholarship
• Frank Saldaña Moreno, Scholarship for Leadership

Lake Braddock High School

• Arely Solis-Artola, Hispanic Student Association Club Scholarship

Lewis High School

• Dereck Quiroz Espinosa, Hispanic Leadership Alliance Club Scholarship
• Ashley Rodriguez Vallejo, Marshall and Carmen St. John Family Legacy Scholarship

Marshall High School

• Alielyx Aponte Centeno, Latinos Unidos Club Scholarship
• Geidy Felipes Garcia, Sonia Rosa Véler Memorial Scholarship
• Alexa García García, Humberto Moore Cruz Memorial Scholarship

Mount Vernon High School

• Perla Vásquez Garcia, Latino Student Alliance Club Scholarship

South Lakes High School

• Maybelline Cruz, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Scholarship

West Springfield High School

• Melanie Cuenca-Crosetto, Scholarship for Leadership
• Andrew Gamboa Velásco, Scholarship for Perseverance
• Melanie Jiménez, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Scholarship
• Keyri Rivas Garcia, Hispanic Student Association Club Scholarship
• Nahomy Vásquez Garcia, Keith Buchanan Memorial Scholarship.

Westfield High School

• Fabrizio Bellido, Scholarship for Business
• Anderson Vásquez Vásquez, Keith Buchanan Memorial Scholarship
• Shantal Monico-López, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Scholarship