15 Local Students of Hispanic Descent Will Receive $2,000 each Toward College Education

Resulting from exceptional academic achievement, personal success and a commitment to the local community, 15 high school students will receive $2,000 toward college thanks to the Ronald McDonald House Charities/Hispanic American Commitment to Education Resources (HACER) scholarship.

The RMHC/HACER program is supported by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California, Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego, The McDonald’s Operators’ Association of Southern California, and the McDonald’s Operators’ Association of San Diego. The goal of this program is to honor outstanding high school seniors with strong academic performance, who personally give back to their community, and have a strong determination to excel in their studies. A panel of judges, including educators, and McDonald’s and Ronald McDonald House representatives, evaluate each application based on academic achievement, financial need, personal successes and community involvement.

“We received nearly 250 applications this year, which was a record for us, and in each application we looked for students who aspire to make a difference in our community,” said Christian Sandoval, HACER scholarship chair and San Diego McDonald’s owner/operator. “This year, we were able to increase our number of granted scholarships from 10 to 15, which represents $30,000 in support for San Diegan students. This year’s HACER scholarship applicants prove that the possibilities are endless for this next generation of collegiate visionaries, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for each one.”

This year’s recipients are:

• Linda Gonzalez, Granite Hills High School
• Michael Salazar, Valhalla High School
• Rosalinda Perez, San Pasqual High School
• Sarabi Rodriguez Ramirez, The Preuss School UCSD
• Josue Morales Santiago, El Camino High School
• Elybeth Alcantar, Patrick Henry High School
• Ronaldo Ochoa Guzman, San Diego High School
• Ivette Lozano Velazquez, Crawford High School
• Zuleyma Sanchez, La Costa Canyon High School
• Kricia Garcia Chacon, Julian High School
• Dianna Silva, Mount Miguel High School
• Genesis Moran Gonzalez, The Preuss School UCSD
• Ariana Deanda, Orange Glen High School
• Bryan Martin, Otay Ranch High School
• Marlene Mendoza, Escondido High School

Nationwide, the RMHC/HACER scholarship is one of the largest college scholarship programs for Hispanic students. Beginning in 1985, more than 16,000 Hispanic students throughout the nation have been awarded more that $24 million in grants to support their college education.