Foundation awards more than $30,000 in scholarships

CALEXICO – The Calexico Education Foundation announced recently that it distributed more than $30,000 in scholarships and grants during the 201920 school year.

The foundation awarded scholarships to 32 Calexico High School seniors and 12 Calexico alumni already attending an institution of higher learning.

The students will be attending four-year universities and community colleges mostly in California, but also in Arizona, Oklahoma and Massachusetts. The amounts awarded were from $250 to $1,000.

Areas of study include engineering, nursing, business, biology (medicine), art, library studies, political science, computation and cognition, animal science, nutrition, marine biology and psychology.

The Calexico Education Foundation is a non-profit organization formed in 1989 to support the goals of the Calexico School District and enhance educational opportunities for Calexico students.

The local community contributes to its scholarship fund through annual fundraising activity and donations directly from Calexico school district employees, individuals and local businesses. Local businesses include McDonalds, and through the Calexico Rotary Club, individually funded scholarships have been established by Michael and Susana Castillo, Peter and Elena Castro, Emily Palacio Orfanos, John and Marie Anderson, Ernie and Mary Medina, Nancy

Castillo, and the Estate of Tony Gonzalez.

Scholarship also funds have been established in memory of well-loved Calexico residents Elmer Belcher Jr., Harry Orfanos, Elsie Corda Claverie, Bill and Virginia Irish, Frank and Virginia Moreno, Coach Jesus Rojas, LTC Carl A. Vindiola, Arlette Zazueta, and Gil Perez.

CEF awarded 21 Academic Achievement Scholarships in the amount of $500, four $500 Arlette Zazuete Memorial Scholarships, one $500 Bill and Virginia Irish Memorial Scholarship, four $500 Calexico Rotary Club Scholarships, two $300 Elmer Belcher Memorial Scholarships, one $500 Elsie Corda Claverie Memorial Scholarship, one $500 Emily Palacio Scholarship, two $250 Frank and Virginia Moreno Memorial Scholarships, one $1,000 Gil Perez Memorial Scholarship, one $500 Harry Orfano Memorial Scholarship, one $500 Jesus Rojas Memorial Scholarship, two $500 John and Marie Anderson Memorial Scholarships, one $500 John Moreno Scholarship, two $1,000 LTC Carl A. Vindiola Memorial Scholarships, two $500 McDonald’s Scholarships, one $500 Medina Family Scholarship, one $500 Mike and Susana Castillo Scholarship, one $500 Nancy Castillo Scholarship, and one $500 Peter and Elena Castro Scholarship.

Anyone may contribute to these funds or establish new funds by contacting Hortencia Armendariz of the Calexico Education Foundation at (760) 427-9736.