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The Hispanic Leadership Alliance recognized 29 Fairfax County Public Schools high school seniors, adult learners and community leaders with scholarships on Monday, May 4.

Recipients were selected for demonstrating leadership and mentorship through educational and community activities. Each plans to continue their education while contributing to their community.

Kailey Morales Campos, who received the West Springfield Hispanic Student Association Scholarship, said she had learned “the transformative power of creating spaces where people feel supported.”

Justice High School’s Jordin Ramos Galdamez, recipient of the Scholarship for Engineering, reflected on taking control of what comes next.

“My experiences have let me know that the past can’t be rewritten, and the future is my choice,” Galdamez said.

The alliance also presented its Leadership Award to FCPS Chief of Schools Dr. Geovanny Ponce. He was recognized for his vision, commitment and advocacy, including efforts to expand opportunities and support for students and families throughout the school division.

Ponce is scheduled to become superintendent of Champaign Unit 4 School District in Illinois on July 1.

The scholarship recipients were:

  • Brooklynn Aguilar, Lake Braddock Secondary School — Scholarship for Pre-Law
  • Ashley Claros-Roca, Falls Church High School — Scholarship for Leadership
  • Camila Coca Orellana, Marshall High School — Scholarship for Perseverance
  • Erick Santiago Elvir, Justice High School — Scholarship for Leadership
  • Antonella Fosci, Centreville High School — Sonia Migdalia Rosa-Vélez Future Educator Scholarship
  • Diana Gómez López, Justice High School — Scholarship for STEM
  • Jonathan Juárez-Cabrera, Lake Braddock Secondary School — Michael Kadow Memorial Scholarship
  • Stephanie Lemus-Ortiz, Bryant High School school counselor — Gómez Portillo Family Adelante Scholarship
  • Rogelio Lozano Mora, FCPS Family Literacy Program — Monroy-Lavalle Adult ESOL Scholarship
  • Angie Lucero-Payes, Chantilly High School — Romstedt-Cruz Renaissance Woman Scholarship
  • Jessica Maldonado-Cueva, West Potomac High School — Scholarship for Leadership
  • Rafaella Manias Wagner, Marshall High School — Marshall Latinos Unidos Scholarship
  • Jennifer Manzanares Martínez, Lewis High School — John Lewis Hispanic Leadership Alliance Scholarship
  • Blady Martínez, Mountain View High School — Keith Buchanan Memorial Scholarship
  • Liz Mejía-Maravilla, Justice High School — Scholarship for STEM
  • Venus Mejía-Martínez, Justice High School — Scholarship for STEM
  • Digviana Mejia, Westfield High School — Eliud Bonilla Scholarship for STEM
  • Dayana Meruvia, Justice High School — St. John Family Legacy Scholarship
  • Ángel Miras, Lake Braddock Secondary School — Scholarship for Computer Science
  • Kailey Morales Campos, West Springfield High School — West Springfield Hispanic Student Association Scholarship
  • Zoila Orellana, FCPS Family Literacy Program — HLA Adult ESOL Scholarship
  • Nicol Pereira Torrico, Westfield High School — Minerva Gorena Memorial Language Acquisition Scholarship
  • Jordin Ramos Galdamez, Justice High School — Scholarship for Engineering
  • Carla Rodríguez Morales, Marshall High School — St. John Memorial Scholarship
  • Kelly Romero-Romero, Justice High School — Scholarship for Entrepreneurship
  • Jhojan Gabriel Torrez Choque, Marshall High School — Keith Buchanan Memorial Scholarship
  • Vania Trejo, Justice High School — Roberto Mosheim Scholarship for STEM
  • Estefani Vega-Galicia, Justice High School — Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents of DC, Maryland, and Virginia Scholarship
  • Ariela Ventura-Palermo, Justice High School — Humberto Moore Cruz Memorial Scholarship