AEF, ASF award 163 scholarships to AISD seniors

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One hundred-sixty-three 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 May 21 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 18 scholarships and 118 AISD seniors received ASF scholarships.

Prior to the awarding of the scholarships, former AEF recipient Diamond Banks addressed this year’s recipients. The audience was also addressed by Aldine ISD Superintendent Dr. Wanda Bamberg, who provided the Superintendent’s Challenge, and Penny Westerfeld, interim president of Lone Star College-North Harris.

Former Aldine ISD Superintendent and current AEF Vice President of Programs Nadine Kujawa delivered the welcome and introductions.

AISD seniors who received $5,000 AEF scholarships were Laurie Nowlin, Gersunde Moses and Hy Luu. AISD seniors who received $1,000 AEF scholarships were Aurora Gaitan, Jessica Medrano, Jesus Garza, Stephen Omot, William Espinoza, Marco Medina, Desiree Carmona, Michael Jefferson, Joanna Gonzalez, Wonderful Pacheco, Emily Aguirre and Frankesha Jones.

AISD seniors who received ASF scholarships were: Jeanette Pala, who received the Victory Early College Award; Eunice Alvarez-Diaz, Luis Banda, Courtney Cain, Melissa Gallegos, Jonathan Morales, Johnny Nguyen, Ruth Rodriguez and Dontre Thomas who received Aldine Council of PTAs Award; Nazaret Castillo and Sydney Reed who received the Aldine Optimist Club Award; Daniel Benavides, Kimberly Guerrero and Janet Padron who received the East Aldine Management District Award; Erica Cheng, Brianna Crawford, Rikia Stewart and Trevor Thibodeaux who received the George Washington Carver High School Alumni Award; Debbie Paredes, who received the Jan DeBlance Scholarship; Marlon Adams, who received the Joey Doyle Scholarship; Karen Perez, who received the Prosperity Bank Award; and Emily Ham, who received the Aaron Glenn Award.

Other AISD senior who received ASF scholarships were: Samantha Andrade, Jennifer Arita, Angelina Bazualdua, Kevin Chavez, Cindy Godoy, Jesus Jaimes, Yareli Lara, Olga Martinez, David Nguyen, Bryanna Ramirez, Hector Reyna, Felix Salazar, Henry Sanchez, Fillimon Serrano, Marelyn Valdez and Alejandro Vazcoy who received the Aldine ISD Award; Yasmin Amaya, Ingrid Arrieta, Cameron Crow, Patricia Diaz, Jennifer Garcia Villafana, Eliseo Hernandez, Nathan Jimenez, Yasmin Moreno, Dariela Ramos Martinez, Wilmer Rivera, Angela Rosales, Adan Villafuerta and Dolores Wells Salas who received the Aldine ISD Staff Endowment Award; Aide Duarte and Mayra who received the Aldine Optimist Club Award; Leslie Marshall, Nayib Pastrana and Jennifer Tobar who received the ASF Board of Directors Award; Gladys Lemus who received the Bob and Darcy Mingoia Special Scholarship; Alondra Acosta, who received the Deanie Merritt Award; Ernesto Hernandez, who received the Donnie Drawhorn Award; Fantasia Smith, who received the Doris Davis Award and Deja Scott, who received the John E. Pickelman Award.

Additional seniors who received scholarships were: Efrain Alonso, Steven Cabrera, Ariana Campos, Virginia Contreras, Jose Delgado, Stephanie Escamilla, Vanessa Escuita, Juanita Flores Mayorga, Cesia Galeas, Jair Galvan, Betty Garcia, Iris Graham, Carla Hernandez, Emily Hernandez, Jocelyn Herrera, Fabiola Martinez, Marcus Medillin, Emily Mendez, Jacqueline Navarro, David Perez, Oscar Perez, Thalia Salinas, Daniela Torrejon, Yajaira Valdez and Clezell Willis who received East Aldine District Awards; Frank Cisneros and Kyla Wiley who received Gallery Furniture Awards; Christopher Paz who received the Glenn and Linda Huntley Award; Alma Guzman, Jason Palomares and Orlando Valle who received the Greater Inwood Partnership Awards; Caroline Fletcher who received the Harvey and Yvonne Stotts Award; Everardo Castro and Jessica Radilla who received the Houston-Aldine Lions Club Awards; Kaicee Sims and David Trevino who received the Houston Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce Awards; and Jacqueline Alanis, Marisol Carreon, Fernando Chavez, Breanna DeJesus, Erika Gramby, Maurice Green, Gueovany Guevara, Sandra Hinojosa, Alejandro Luna, John Luong, Sarah Martinez, Javier Mendiola, Cristofer Osornio, Miguel Pizano Gonzalez, Caterin Ramirez, Angel Rodriguez, Lizbeth Romero and Daanyal Vaid who received Lone Star College-North Harris Awards.

Other AISD seniors who received scholarships were: Amber Haubert and Alyssa Wreyford who received the M.B. “Sonny” Donaldson Awards; Kenneshia Robinson who received the M.O. Campbell Award; Alejandra Duarte who received the MacArthur Senior High School Award; Shaina Cortes and Courtney Jones who received the Motiva Awards; Estefani Aranda who received the Nadine Kujawa Award; Marshall Green who received the Niki Myers and Cher Brock Endowed Scholarship; Dionna Breaux, Robert Gee, Juan Ruiz and Dennis Torres who received the Prosperity Bank Awards; Jesus Reyna Trevino who received the Richard and Barbara Lee Memorial Award; Jorge Martinez who received the Rigsdell Family Award; Daija Jackson who received the Ron and Mary Oruc Award; Francisco Pomares, Kayla Puente, Maria Ruiz and Jessica Tovias who received the Stan and Suzanne St. Pierre Awards; and Cristina Jimenez who received the Steve Mead Award.

Other AISD seniors who received scholarships were Yissel Moreno and Sandra Navarro who received the Steven Parker Awards; Sydney David, Rocio Dionisio, and Vanessa Rivas Herrera who received the Super Travel Awards; Lexus Thomas who received the Supertravel Aldine Teachers Award; Alan Martinez, Aylin Vazquez and Mohammad Zahir who received the Texas Pioneer Foundation Awards and Loreal Robinson who received the W.W. Thorne Award.