ACCD News & Events

ACCD/LULAC Rey Feo Parent/Child Scholarship Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary; Presents $25,000 in Scholarships to Future ACCD Students

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2006
Contact: Kay Hendricks, Coordinator of Communication
(210) 208-8006
khendric@accd.edu

Photos by Leonard Ziegler

Thanks to a unique scholarship program, 25 pre-school children took their first steps toward a college education at the LULAC Rey Feo Parent/Child Scholarship awards ceremony recently. The young recipients, mostly children of single parents, each received a $1,000 scholarship to attend any of the five colleges of the Alamo Community College District.

As part of the event, El Rey Feo Ronnie Gabriel and Natalie Ortiz, Reina De La Feria De Las Flores, presented an oversized “check” for $25,000 to ACCD Interim Chancellor Dr. Daniel Derrico. The funds, donated by the LULAC Rey Feo Parent-Child Scholarship Committee, Inc., will be held in trust until the recipients graduate from high school. Their parents, many of whom are first generation college-goers, are currently enrolled in an ACCD college and receive a $1,000 scholarship, plus support services and assistance to make it possible for them to complete their college educations.

“This one-of-a-kind scholarship program not only benefits the children by giving them an incentive to go to college, but also provides an incentive for their parents to continue their education,” said Derrico. “We are grateful to Rey Feo Ronnie Gabriel, Reina De La Feria De Las Flores Natalie Ortiz and the LULAC Rey Feo Scholarship Committee, Inc. for making this outstanding program possible for the past ten years,” he added.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary event were Valerie Franklin, whose son, Carlton, was awarded a Parent/Child Scholarship in 1997. After attending San Antonio College, Franklin graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in occupational education from Wayland Baptist University, and has a Dual Master’s in Man-agement and Human Resources from Webster University. Carlton, now 12 years old, will be eligible to claim the scholarship endowment in 2012. Franklin, who recently underwent back surgery and is relearning how to walk and perform her daily routine, continues to be a model of determination and perseverance for her children.

The parents of this year’s scholarship recipients also have faced obstacles in their path to a college education. Krystle Rose Gonzalez, is self motivated and committed to excelling in her studies. In high school, she was a member of the National Honor Society, and has been inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa honor society at San Antonio College. She has accomplished all of this while raising her two-year-old daughter, Che D’Rose, and working full time. She plans to complete her associate degree at SAC and transfer to the University of the Incarnate Word to earn a Ph.D. in pharmacy. Che D’Rose introduced r Master of Ceremonies, Sonny Melendrez, at the evening’s ceremony.

Another recipient parent, Rojerio Mendoza Jr., has served in the U.S. Army for nine years, where he gained a valuable work ethic and learned the meaning of sacrifice. While he was serving in Iraq, his wife gave birth to their first child, Rojerio Francisco, who is receiving a scholarship today. Mendoza feels that the experience he gained and the sacrifices he endured have equipped him to succeed in life and in college. He is currently enrolled at SAC and plans to pursue a teaching degree.

Recipient parent Leticia Ogilvie was homeless, abandoned, and five months pregnant at age fifteen. Still, one of her greatest joys is having given birth to her daughter Latavia. The hardships of her life have taught Ogilvie perseverance, and she is very determined to succeed, as she proved by attending summer school at San Antonio College and maintaining a 4.0 GPA. She plans to pursue a business management degree.

The LULAC Rey Feo Parent-Child scholarship program began in 1997 with a donation of $25,000 from the LULAC Rey Feo Scholarship Committee, Inc., matched by $25,000 from the ACCD Foundation. To date, 250 students have been accepted into the program and 62 students have successfully completed the program. The Women’s Center at San Antonio College, directed by Dr. Helen Vera, coordinates the selection of the recipients and provides assistance to the parents. The first recipient of the scholarships to graduate from high school will do so in 2011.