The Latino Student
Fund (LSF) annual Showcase of Scholars was held last night, Thursday, June 7,
2012 at the American University Katzen Center from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The Showcase, held at the end of each
academic year, honored the LSF Scholars Program students. The venue was ideal;
fittingly, the walls were adorned with PreK-12 student artwork, and the room
was decorated beautifully in the LSF colors of black, red and green. During the
reception, guests chatted while eating empanadas and other Latin delicacies to
their hearts content. Famous radio personalities Alejandro Negron and the
beautiful Belen Barriga emceed the event.
Scholars and
attendees were able to network with some of Washington’s most influential
Hispanic leaders and community supporters: Marta Estarellas (Inter-American Development
Bank), Angela Franco (Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce), Carl
Hairston (M&T Bank), Roxana Olivas (Office on Latino Affairs), Darlene
Slaughter (Fannie Mae), Carlos Vasquez (New York Life), and others. The event
gave special recognition to LSF’s corporate sponsors: The Bancroft Foundation,
Children’s Charities Foundation, FedEx, Freddie Mac Foundation, Mattress
Warehouse and Procter & Gamble, and others. These partnerships have been
instrumental in providing invaluable support for the LSF Scholars. Joe Martin was presented with the Community Award for his contributions to the LSF as the SAT Preparatory Course instructor since 2010.
The ceremony left
the audience feeling inspired and victorious.
Keynote speaker Mario Acosta-Velez, Director of Mid-Atlantic Region
State Government Affairs at Verizon, gave the students practical advice for their
future. His recalled past insecurities about being Latino in the US
professional world, and overcoming them. He concluded that our background need
not limit their opportunities or success, and in fact, we should be proud of
our heritage.
Of course, the real
stars of the show were the LSF Scholars, who were adorable and impressive. Each
student was given a certificate of completion, and select high school students
were also presented with special awards, for which they were nominated by their
respective schools. Antonio Borckardt, a junior at Bullis School, was given the
Academic Achievement Award; Joel Munoz, a senior at Archbishop Carroll School,
was given the community service award; Juliet Arcila Rojas, a junior at
Randolph Macon Academy, was given the Leadership Award. Graduating seniors
Aaron Wong (St. Alban’s School), Ananda Gonzalez and her sister India (Edmund
Burke School) were presented with the inaugural Distinguished Scholar award for
epitomizing the ideals of the program. As Rosalia Miller, LSF Co-Founder and Board Chair, correctly
noted in her closing remarks, “this is all for the kids.” Her passion was
infectious, and it is safe to say that most people in the room were overwhelmed
with hope for Hispanic/Latino youth.
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