Five High School Seniors to Receive Gracias Mama Scholarship Including Special Gift for their Mom or Mother Figure
Watch all the finalist videos on Clorox Latino’s YouTube Channel
In celebration of Mother’s Day, today the makers of Clorox® bleach and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) announced the five winners who paid special tribute to their own mothers’ through the Gracias Mama scholarship program. From nearly 5,000 applications received, each of the five winning high school seniors has been awarded a $12,000 scholarship to attend an accredited U.S. university in the 2012-2013 school year, as well as a $500 spa day certificate for their mother or mother figure.
The Gracias Mama scholarship program not only recognizes students’ achievements, but also acknowledged their moms by asking applicants to create a 500-word essay detailing the role their mother or mother figure has played in their academic success.
“Clorox is proud to partner with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund in creating such a successful scholarship program honoring a mother’s unconditional support,” said Colleen Schweichler, Marketing Manager – Clorox Laundry Division. “With this unique program, five remarkable students will now receive financial aid to enroll in college and fulfill their dreams and their moms’ hopes for a brighter future.”
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund applauds Clorox’s initiative to stimulate higher education among U.S. Hispanics.
“Clorox investment in the Hispanic Scholarship Fund will help many Latino students and their families realize the goal of a college education,” said Frank D. Alvarez, President and CEO of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. “This partnership will help us move closer to our vision of putting a college degree in every Latino household.”
As part of the Gracias Mama scholarship program, 15 finalists, chosen based on HSF’s general eligibility criteria and the quality of their essay, received a camera and captured in video how their mother or mother figure has encouraged them to pursue a higher education. The videos were posted on Clorox Latino’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cloroxlatino to encourage Facebook members to support their favorite finalists by liking and sharing the videos with family and friends.
The five recipients of the $12,000 Gracias Mama scholarships and the $500 certificates for their mom or mother figure are:
- Viviana Altamirano – Santa Ana, CA
- Amanda Carreno – Palmdale, CA
- Lucia Garcia – Compton, CA
- Emilia Iglesias – Livonia, MI
- Nicole Sena – Fort Sumner, NM
To learn more about the Gracias Mama scholarship recipients and their stories, please visit www.facebook.com/cloroxlatino.