MANA de Imperial Valley hosted its annual Scholarship Ceremony at the Southwest High School library in El Centro to honor local students who were awarded academic scholarships. This year, MANA distributed a total of $20,000 in scholarships among twenty-nine deserving students. The scholarship amounts ranged from $500 to $1,000. The recipients of these scholarships will be attending esteemed institutions such as the University of CA, Los Angeles, University of CA, San Diego, Fresno State University, San Diego State University, Imperial Valley College, La Sierra University, and more.
“The annual scholarship ceremony is the pinnacle of MANA’s scholarship program,” stated Ida Obeso-Martinez, President of MANA. “This event serves as a platform to celebrate the academic accomplishments of our local students and recognize their dedication to pursuing higher education. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our members, the community, and business leaders for their generous support of our scholarship and educational initiatives. We would also like to express our appreciation to Southwest High School for allowing us to utilize their library for today’s ceremony.”
The Scholarship Program is coordinated by Martha Cardenas-Singh and Belen Granados. Mrs. Granados, a former scholarship recipient herself, delivered an inspiring keynote address during the ceremony. She graduated from Central Union High School and currently serves as a Deputy District Attorney at the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office. Mrs. Granados shared her own academic journey and encouraged the students to take pride in their Imperial Valley roots as they embark on their educational endeavors. Since 2007, MANA has awarded nearly $235,000 in local scholarships. The Annual Las Primeras Awards & Scholarship Fundraiser serves as the primary source of funding for the scholarship program.
2023 MANA Scholarship Recipients:
Ethan Adame, Central Union HS
Laura Avila, Southwest HS
Amy Bobadilla, Southwest HS
Nadia Cano, Central Union HS
Iker Dader, Calexico HS
Montserrat Jimenez Duarte, Southwest HS
Viviana Espino, Imperial HS
Alondra Gil, Calexico HS
Alixea Iniguez, Calexico HS
Angela Loya, Holtville HS
Briana Ramirez, Brawley Union HS
Yael Rangel, Southwest HS
Dainaly Reyes, Southwest HS
Naharai Rangel Rios, Calexico HS
Mylas Rodriguez, Central Union HS
Evangelina Ruvalcaba, Southwest HS
Mary Santana, Brawley Union HS
Maria E. Valverde, Calipatria HS
Lezly Valdez, Southwest HS
Allan Valladares, Calipatria
Anaid Martinez, Southwest HS
Brianna Mendoza, Imperial HS
Deborah Minjarez, Southwest HS
Hunter Nguyen, Imperial HS
Juan Otero, Brawley Union HS
Leilani Pradis, Central Union HS
Audrey Zendejas, Calipatria HS
Bryana Cardenas, IVC
Elsa Downs Nursing Scholarship
Bertha Frausto, IVC EOPS Transfer Scholarship