Close to 150 AISD seniors receive AEF, ASF scholarships
Close to 150 Aldine ISD seniors received the opportunity to continue their academic careers by receiving either Aldine Education Foundation (AEF) or Aldine Scholarship Foundation (ASF) scholarships during an awards ceremony on Thursday, May 22 at Davis High School.
The two non-profit foundations joined forces to enable more Aldine ISD students to receive financial support for college, to provide additional choices for college and to award grants to teachers for innovative classroom instruction.
AEF, incorporated in 2012, became the umbrella organization for two funds: the ASF Fund, now under the direction of the Aldine Scholarship Foundation Board, and the AEF general fund. ASF’s permanent endowment totaling more than $2 million will continue to be managed by the Lone Star College System. The merger of AEF and ASF provides AISD students and teachers with greater resources and opportunities, and donors have more choices to support student success in Aldine ISD.
During the ceremony, AEF awarded 28 scholarships and 119 AISD seniors received ASF scholarships.
Carver High School graduate Gabrielle Miller, a 2013 recipient of an Aldine Education Foundation Scholarship
Prior to the awarding of the scholarships, former AEF recipient Gabrielle Miller addressed this year’s recipients. Gabrielle, a graduate of Carver High School, just completed her freshman year at the University of Iowa. She said receiving an AEF scholarship helped her realize her dream of attending college.
“AEF is more than a check,” she said. “It makes your dreams come true. These scholarships are a piece of a puzzle to your success. College will teach you how to be a bigger and better person. Good luck as you begin your journey.”
The audience was also addressed by Aldine ISD Superintendent Dr. Wanda Bamberg, who provided the Superintendent’s Challenge, and by Dr. Steven Head, president of Lone Stare College-North Houston. Dr. Head spoke on the partnership between Aldine ISD and the Lone Star College System.
AISD seniors who received $5,000 AEF scholarships were Claudia Espinoza, Celia Meza and Diamonds Banks. AISD seniors who received $1,000 AEF scholarships were Mahera Badat, Edgar Banegas, Oscar Cardoza, Gabriela Diaz, David Dinh, Stephanie Guzman, Gabrielle Harrison, Joselyn Ipina, Jose Nunez, Patricia Awino, Gabriela Perez, Corian Allen, Lucero Fernandez, Briana Mayes, Isai Tzun, Stephanie Bright, Darian Rankin, Brian Tea, Maria Castillo, Annie Dang, Carlos Murillo, Joe Umana, Cynthia Luevano, Sayra Torres and Stephanie Villanueva.
AISD seniors who received ASF scholarships were: Jazzman Washington, who received the Aaron Glenn Award; Monique Andrade, Darinese Bennett, Angelica Bustos, Yamilex Cabrera Rios, Consuelo Contreras, Sandra Escobar, Jose Funes, Stephanie Gonzalez, Daesha Hodge, Christopher Junious, Erica Landaverde-Molinero, Jordy Rios, Karina Rivas, Yuniet Ruiz and Antavia Wiltz who received Aldine ISD Awards; Tobin Barnes, Maria Dominguez, Vanessa Espinoza, Matthew Garcia, Destinee Gomez, Anna Maldonado, Alexis Perez, Cindy Rodriguez, Jessica Rosales, Nareun Roth, Marodkee Shorter, Jenny Villanueva, Christopher Warren and Renisha Woodrow, who received Aldine ISD Staff Endowment Awards.
Additional seniors who received ASF scholarships were Carlos Delvillar and Joe Gonzales, who received Aldine Optimist Clubs Awards; Van Tam, who received the ASF Board of Directors Award; Issac Lopez, who received the Bob and Darcy Mingoia Special Scholarship Award; Erica Castro, who received the Jan DeBlanc Award; Zulema Hernandez, who received the Deanie Merritt Award; L’Jai Smith, who received the Donnie Drawhorn Memorial Award; Nicholas Kwiatkowski, who received the Doris Davis Award; and Patricia Montalvan, who received the Dr. John E. Pickelman Award.
Other AISD seniors who received ASF scholarships were Yulemi Acevedo, Veronica Atrian, Stephanie Barajas, Andrea Cruz, Rebeca Garcia Castillo, Antonio Gonzalez, Briana Gonzalez, Yesenia Guzman, Keyawna Hampton, Deisi Hernandez, Keemberly Leal, Leana Longoria, Modesta Lozano, Alejandra Martinez, Andrea Pineda, Rashad Tatum, Jonathan Tenorio, Tiera Walker, Jaleel Williams, Maritza Yanez and Mayra Zuniga, who received East Aldine District Awards; Noah Garza and Chi Nguyen, who received Gallery Furniture Awards; Gabriela Villarreal, who received the Glenn and Linda Huntley Award; Gabriela Castaneda, Charles Cel and Kerstin Smith, who received the Greater Inwood Partnership Awards; Odaly Ticas, who received the Harvey and Yvonne Stotts Award, Nnaemeka Okorie and Christian Rodriguez, who received the Houston-Aldine Lions Club Award and Evelyn Elias and Stephanie Hernandez, who received the Houston Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce Awards.
Other AISD seniors who received ASF scholarships were: Vanessa Botello, Monique Cooper, Alejandro Coria, Jr., Edyth Cruz, Ronald Denard, Daisy Farias, Yessica Garza, Chris Hernandez, Akira Killingham, Jennifer Perez, Alina Phommavongsa, Sandra Ramirez, Natalie Rodriguez, Marlon Romero, Jocelyn Saavedra, Alisia Shepherd, Graciela Tendilla and Delia Villanueva, who received the Lone Star College-North Harris Awards; Ruth Arita and Marco Olguin, who received the M.B. “Sonny” Donaldson Awards; Kenia Arevalo, who received the M.O. Campbell Award; Elsa Rodriguez, who received the MacArthur Senior High School Award; Gabina Diaz and Elishua Williams, who received the Motiva Awards; Karla Gallegos, who received the Nadine Kujawa Award; Danielle Turner, who received the Niki Myers and Cher Brock Endowed Scholarship Award; Emily Fernandez, Frank Juarez, Virginia Mellada and Saul Torres, who received the Prosperity Bank Awards; Ana Molina, who received the Richard and Barbara Lee Memorial Award; Yaquelin Medrano, who received the Rigsdell Family Award; Valeria Robledo, who received the Ron and Mary Oruc Award; Elisa Grant, Adriana Ochoa, Javier Ortiz and Jasmine Rideb, who received the Stan and Suzanne St. Pierre Awards; and Miguel Mosqueda, who received the Steve Mead Award.
Additional AISD seniors who received ASF scholarships were Brittney Roman and Eduardo Vega, who received the Steven Parker Memorial Awards; Alondra Cadena, Anthony Rodriguez and Paula Rohus, who received the Supertravel Awards; Lorraine Kouamian, who received the Supertravel-Aldine Teachers Award; Georgina Diaz, Tiffany Tijerina and Aaliyah Turner, who received the Texas Pioneer Foundation Awards; and Evelyn Zuniga, who received the W.W. Thorne Award.
Former Aldine ISD Superintendent and current AEF Vice-President Nadine Kujawa served as the master of ceremonies and provided closing remarks.
About the Author: Mike Keeney
