Women awarded scholarships
Every year, as part of the North Fair Oaks Community Festival, sponsored by San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Greg Munks, young women are selected from a field of applicants to compete for $23,000 in scholarship awards. The competition is in its ninth year and has awarded $146,000 in scholarships to date. In turn, the finalists have raised more than $200,000 for youth programs in San Mateo County.
The Queen of the Festival scholarship program promotes community service and is awarded by the Sheriff’s Youth Programs. The queen, along with other contenders, took part in the 14th Annual North Fair Oaks Community Festival parade on Aug. 16.
“The Queen of the Festival scholarship program is an unqualified success, and a demonstration of what communities can accomplish when they come together towards a common cause,” said Munks. “We extend our admiration and gratitude for the commitment from our scholarship recipients. They reached out broadly and deeply to promote the festival, the youth programs and their own aspirations for higher North Fair Oaks Festival Queen Michelle Quintero is joined by San Mateo County Sheriff Greg Munks. education and community service.”
The year, Michelle Quintero of Redwood City was crowned the 2015 Queen of the North Fair Oaks Community Festival and has won a $10,000 scholarship. She graduated from Sequoia High School and is attending Sonoma State University in the fall to study nursing.
Quintero thanked her family and friends at the coronation ceremony on Aug. 7, and attributed her win to the unswerving support of the North Fair Oaks network of community volunteers, family and friends.
“I am the first in my family to attend a fouryear university,” she said. “This scholarship will cover my first two years of university, where I am studying nursing at Sonoma State.
“I am from the North Fair Oaks community, and I want people to be proud because I am proud to be a role model.”
Catherine Matsuyo Tompkison, festival director, announced the winners of this year’s competition. “Many of the recipients are first in their family to attend university and these scholarships make it possible. Sheriff Greg Munks values providing opportunity to the youth of San Mateo County,” she said.
Other contenders for Queen of the Festival included first runnerup Monica Orellana of Redwood City. She was awarded $6,000 and will be attending to San Jose State University. Second runner-up Vanessa Murillo of Redwood City was awarded $4,000 and is headed for UCLA. Mary Robles of Redwood City was awarded $2,000 and will be attending Loyola Marymount University, and Angelica Salto of Redwood City was awarded $1,000 and will be attending Cal State East Bay.
If interested in learning more, contact Tompkison at 650-368-2497 or visit www.northfairoaksfestival. For more information on the San Mateo County Sheriff’s community activities, visit, www. smcsheriff.com.