Times Standard (Eureka)

Cumbre Humboldt awards five scholarshi­ps to Latinx students

- By Mario Cortez mcortez@times-standard.com

Local educationa­l nonprofit Cumbre Humboldt has awarded its second round of Reach for Your Star/Alcanza Tu Estrella scholarshi­ps to Latinx students pursuing a higher education.

HSU students Steffi Puerto and Guadalupe Farías Chávez, CR students Armida Martínez and Evelyn Miranda García and Fortuna High student Keiry Campos are the five recipients of the most recent round of $500 awards.

The winners were selected from a pool of 20 applicants sent to Cumbre Humboldt’s award review committee. As part of the applicatio­n process, applicants must demonstrat­e proof of enrollment or applicatio­ns to a college, university, vocational school or technical school along with financial need.

While grade point average was a part of the applicatio­n, the organizati­on did not consider it as part of its selection due to how standardiz­ed curriculum­s might pose disadvanta­ges to Latinx students, due to equity, economic and, sometimes, language barriers. Instead, Cumbre Humboldt opted to look at the students’ desire to reach a better life through higher education.

“The award is looking for people who have that drive to succeed,” Cumbre Humboldt president Lucy Salazar said to the Times-Standard. “You could just tell with all of these ladies that they really have their eyes on the prize, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for.”

Puerto, a journalism and critical race and gender studies double major at HSU, shared she would like to attend a graduate program and someday create publicatio­ns centering to communitie­s of color.

“I hope to share why those stories are important and the impact that these people have in their communitie­s and within people that look like them,” she said.

CR student Martínez worked as a medical assistant and at prenatal clinics for several years before returning to school to pursue a nursing degree. She calls the line of work a rewarding one.

“Working in the medical field for so long and providing care to our community, (which) is really underserve­d, was really a rewarding experience and to be able to work with amazing doctors and nurses too. That’s kind of what drew me into wanting to pursue nursing,” she said.

Miranda García currently works as a caregiver at the Timber Ridge Care facility. She told the Times-Standard caring for others makes her feel good.

“I really like feeling I’m able to help. And (for patients), seeing that they do have someone there to help them, even if it’s just for little things, you can see that they’re just so happy to have someone there,” Miranda García said,

While $500 may not seem like a lot in the face of rising rent and higher education costs, the awards will be a difference­maker for these students.

“Nursing school is really intense, very demanding, and it re

quires time and effort and a lot of focus, so I couldn’t work,” Martínez said. “But being able to earn a scholarshi­p has helped me out to pay for college and continue on with my education.”

Prior to receiving the scholarshi,p HSU journalism major Puerto was working two jobs on top of selling chocoflan, a chocolate cake with a Mexicansty­le custard baked layer on top, on the side. The award provided her a chance to

better focus on her academic work.

“So having that extra money has helped me prioritize my school and has given me the ability to not work as much, because it was really stressful to work and have unreasonab­le hours when my own sole focus was school,” she said. “I’m financiall­y responsibl­e for myself, so I don’t get a lot of help from my parents.”

Salazar stated she and Cumbre Humboldt are excited to present its second-ever round of awards to these outstandin­g students.

“Cumbre Humboldt is very proud of the five recipients of this award and we wish them well and we know they will succeed in whatever they choose to,” she said.

Cumbre Humboldt plans to award its next round of scholarshi­ps in spring. Salazar said the organizati­on is looking for donations for the upcoming awards. A donation link can be found on Cumbre Humboldt’s website, at https://www.cumbrehumb­oldt.org/. Applicatio­ns for the scholarshi­ps are planned to open Feb. 15.

 ?? CUMBRE HUMBOLDT COURTESY PHOTO ?? HSU student Steffi Puerto is among the five recipients of the Cumbre Humboldt scholarshi­ps.
CUMBRE HUMBOLDT COURTESY PHOTO HSU student Steffi Puerto is among the five recipients of the Cumbre Humboldt scholarshi­ps.
 ?? CUMBRE HUMBOLDT COURTESY PHOTO ?? CR student Armida Martínez is among the five recipients of the Cumbre Humboldt scholarshi­ps
CUMBRE HUMBOLDT COURTESY PHOTO CR student Armida Martínez is among the five recipients of the Cumbre Humboldt scholarshi­ps

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