The Latino Action Committee (LAC) bestowed 25 Latino McNary High School seniors each with a $500 scholarship at an outdoor event on Thursday, May 11.
Leaders of LAC, including Jose Dominguez, pastor of La Luz de Valle Church, R.J. Navarro and Olga Gloria, were joined by Keizer City Councilors Daniel Kohler, Laura Reid Mayor Cathy Clark outside Keizer Civic Center, as they celebrated the achievements of the members of the Class of 2023.
Scholarship recipients were:
Vidal Coronado Aguilar
Aguilar plans to go to culinary school and play college lacrosse at any division. McNary Lacrosse club helped him to finish school.
Aldair Cruz Barocio
Barocio plans to attend a trade school to pursue a career as a certified electrician.
Nataly Lopez Cabrera
Cabrera plans to attend a university and become a teacher. She had a wonderful teacher who believed in her and she wants to do the same for students.
Victor Ceja
Ceja plans to attend the University of Southern California and major in a STEM and business-oriented major: AI for business.
Cesar Rodriguez-Delgado
Rodriguez-Delgado plans to attend Chemeketa for computer engineering and transfer to Oregon State. He has received the Finnely Scholarship from OSU.
Diego Diaz
Diaz plans to go to college to get a degree in business and music technology. He wants to make music that impacts people in a positive way.
Julian Orta Diaz
Diaz plans to attend Chemeketa Community College and join the JATC plumbing program. After he receives his journeyman plumbing license, he plans to return to school to get a degree in business.
Alan Duran
Duran is the first person in his household to go to college. He plans to major in cybersecurity. He is fluent in both Spanish and English.
Mareyah Escudero
Escudero has been working since she was 16. She plans to attend Chemeketa Community College and is interested in psychology. This award will help her obtain a laptop computer so she can take classes online and continue working.
Dylan Frederic Palomares Figueroa
Figueroa plans to be an orthodontist. He understands it is a very costly career.
Joseline Flores
Flores attended CTEC with the Sustainable Plant Science and Technology Program. She plans to major in psychology and to use her bilingual skills to become a therapist.
Brianna Nery Fuentes
Fuentes plans to attend Southwestern Community College in Coos Bay and pursue an Associates Degree in Baking and Pastry. She is an athlete at McNary and is on the track and field team. Fuentes competes in the 100 meters, long jump and triple jump.
Marisol Ramirez Garibay
Garibay plans to attend Chemeketa Community College and then transfer to Portland State University to obtain a BA and major in diagnostic dedical sonography.
Manny Garza
Garza is interested in architecture, urban planning and design of layouts in video games.
Saul Lozano
Lozano is a first generation college student. His first choice is Oregon Institute of Technology— he would like a degree in mechanical engineering. Lozano is also passionate about sports and is interested in the sports field.
Rigoberto Torres Martinez
Martinez’s goal is to get a two year degree and then transfer to get a four year degree in business. He plans to help his family and help the community by volunteering.
Karen Bazan Mejia
Mejia is a first generation of her familhy to finish high school. She plans to become a nurse eventually. First, she is taking the CTEC cosmetology program to become a nail technician.
Allison Mendoza
Mendoza graduated early and will go to a community college to become a dental assistant
Ezequiel Arcos Morales
Morales plans to go to college and get a degree in agricultural engineering.
Atlas Portillo-Muñoz
Portillo-Muňoz is the first person in the family to attend college.
Geysson David Pacheco Nieto
Nieto plans to attend college and get a music production degree and then get a real estate license.
Gina Cisneros Olivo
Olivo plans to attend Chemeketa Community College for two years and then move to Portland State University to get a bachelor’s degree. She finds architecture to be an interesting career.
Yvana Perez Ponce
In August Ponce will start the first semester at The Universal Technical Institute to specialize in Cummings technology.
Vanessa Rivera Ramirez
Ramirez plans to attend Chemeketa Community College for pre-nursing and then attend a four year college for a nursing degree.
Anet Quintero Salgado
Salgado plans to double major in journalism and public affairs. She has been accepted at four universities and debating on which one to attend: Portland State, Linfield, University of Oregon or University of New Mexico.
Note: Not all recipients were able to attend the event.