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The Hispanic Leadership Alliance, an employee group within Fairfax County Public Schools, honored 32 high school seniors, adult learners and community leaders with scholarships on May 7, 2025.

Recipients are pursuing studies in fields including healthcare, education, engineering, psychology, law, public policy and cybersecurity. They were recognized for leadership and mentoring through their academic and community activities, as well as their commitment to continuing their education and helping others.

Liliana Velasco Fuentes received the Monroy-Lavalle Adult ESOL Scholarship. After a decades-long career in México, she is improving her English through the FCPS Family Literacy Program.

“Language can help me get a job in the future; a second language will allow me to help others in need; and I can grow personally and academically,” Fuentes said.

Crestwood Elementary School Principal Françoise Casablanca received the HLA Leadership Award. Students and staff celebrated her through video messages highlighting her compassionate leadership, kindness and work building a strong school community.

Scholarship and award recipients

  • Douglas Álvarez-Pérez, West Potomac High School — Eliud Bonilla STEM Scholarship
  • Heidi Arze, Marshall High School — Scholarship for STEM
  • Génesis Barrezueta, Falls Church High School — St. John Family Legacy Scholarship
  • Estéfany Cantarero, Justice High School — Scholarship for Language Acquisition
  • Danielle Castro-Millones, West Springfield High School — Scholarship for Innovation and Artistic Expression
  • Amy Fernández García, Falls Church High School — Scholarship for STEM
  • Emely Anna Flores Hinojosa, Marshall High School — Latinos Unidos-HLA Scholarship
  • Ashley Fuentes Mejía, Lewis High School — Scholarship for Leadership
  • Bredd García, Falls Church High School — Scholarship for Engineering
  • Michelle Jiménez Vargas, Justice High School — Minerva Gorena Memorial Language Acquisition Scholarship
  • Joscelyn Jiménez, Justice High School — Scholarship for STEM
  • Darwin López-Campos, TJHSST — Scholarship for Engineering
  • Katya Márquez Martínez, Oakton High School — Scholarship for Perseverance
  • Demis Martínez Pérez, Centreville High School — Scholarship for Leadership
  • Alejandra Mejía Chávez, Justice High School — Scholarship for STEM
  • Ángela Molina, Lake Braddock Secondary School — Peace and Justice Scholarship in Honor of Jane and Ron Cruz
  • Ronny Moratoya-Benítez, Lake Braddock High School — Scholarship for Pre-Law
  • Sebastián Moya, Justice High School — Scholarship for Economics
  • Darshell Najarro-Rosales, Justice High School — Scholarship for STEM
  • Karen Orozco Carreto, Justice High School — Keith Buchanan Memorial Scholarship
  • Ámner Ortega-Méndez, Justice High School — Scholarship for STEM
  • Mckenzie Ponce Magana, Fairfax High School — Scholarship for Business Management
  • Antonella Sagastume Boccanegra, Westfield High School — Sonia Migdalia Rosa-Vélez Future Educator Scholarship
  • Nathan Salguero, Westfield High School — Michael Kadow Memorial Scholarship
  • Fernando Santos Aguilera, Falls Church High School — Keith Buchanan Memorial Scholarship
  • Allison Sejas-Sarabia, Lake Braddock Secondary School — Lake Braddock HSA-HLA Scholarship
  • Emelin Soriano Delcid, Justice High School — Beto Cruz Memorial Scholarship
  • Érica Natalia Sosa Molina, Office of ESOL Services — Gómez Portillo Family “Adelante” Scholarship
  • Sarah Tochez Méndez, West Springfield High School — West Springfield HSA-HLA Scholarship
  • Liliana Velasco Fuentes, Family Literacy Program — Monroy-Lavalle Adult ESOL Scholarship
  • Ingrid Zurita, Justice High School — Scholarship for Leadership
  • Fey Zurita-Sejas, Justice High School — Scholarship for STEM
  • Françoise Casablanca, Crestwood Elementary School — HLA Leadership Award