May 17, 2005 > Chamber selects outstanding high school students to receive scholarship awards

by Natalia Smothers

The Fremont Chamber of Commerce has selected eight students from Tri-City and Milpitas high schools to receive scholarship awards from the chamber's Dollars for Scholars fund. Heather Lozano from John Kennedy High School will receive a check for $1,500. Quynh Anh Nguyen from John Kennedy High and Jessica Berry from Newark Memorial High will be awarded $1,250 each. Christopher Benavente from Newark Memorial High, Cassandra Mecham from American High, and Jade dela Cruz from James Logan High each will be given $1,000. Finally, Amy Xiao Yu Shi from Milpitas High and Jessica Lin from Mission San Jose High will receive $500 to use as a scholarship at the college of their choice.

"It has been an inspiring process going over the profiles of these outstanding kids," said Ron Cass, principal of the Fremont Adult School and chair of the selection committee for the chamber's Dollars for Scholars program. "All of them have had remarkable academic performance and desire to excel in education despite challenging family situations. Their extended community service and work experience demonstrate great leadership potential. The chamber is proud to support these talented students in their pursuit of higher education."

According to Scholarship America, Dollars for Scholars' parent organization, students around the country receive more than $3 billion per year in private scholarships that help them pay for the rising price of going to college. A recent national report quoted on the Scholarship America website concluded that private scholarships are important because they can be targeted at a local level and help students who slip through the cracks of other programs. Scholarship America is the nation's largest nonprofit, private sector scholarship and educational support organization.

For more information about the Fremont Chamber of Commerce Dollars for Scholars program, please visit chamber's website www.fremontbusiness.com and select Community section.