Friday, May 1, 2009

Hispanic students awarded $4 million in scholarships

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By TONY EVANS
Express Staff Writer

Hispanic students from Idaho high schools gathered in Sun Valley last weekend for the 20th annual Hispanic Youth Symposium. $4 million in scholarships were awarded to 157 students. Photo by Willy Cook

About $4 million in college scholarships were awarded to 157 students last week at the 20th annual Hispanic Youth symposium. The winners were chosen from 300 students around the state who had been chosen to attend the symposium based on personal essays.

Fifteen colleges and universities from Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Montana and Washington provided the scholarship money. The College of Idaho in Caldwell, formerly Albertson's College, was by far the biggest donor, giving $2 million. Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa gave about $500,000.

In addition to hands-on educational workshops, students participated in speech, talent, art and athletic and interactive skills competitions. Several previous symposium scholarship winners returned to tell of their college and career successes.

The weekend symposium brought keynote speaker Ruben Gonzales, three-time Olympian in luge and a best-selling author. Gonzales spoke on the importance of setting goals and surrounding one's self with positive influences.

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The Hispanic Youth Symposium was founded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory in 1989 to reduce the high school dropout rate among Hispanic students. Additional sponsors of the symposium include Gem State Diversity Initiatives, Hispanic organizations and private employers.

Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com