2011 Recipients: Please click on one of the following names to read their inspirational story.

• Ana Aguirre
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    Finishing my college education is very important for me, not only for personal fulfillment but because I would be the first generation in my family to finish a college degree. I strive to work harder when I think of my parents’ struggles and sacrifices that they have made to give me and my brothers the opportunities that they never had. Through college I can improve my life and be an example to other people like me that come from different ethnic groups. I hope to advance my knowledge and see my academic life prosper.

    I have a profound passion for nursing because I am someone who loves to serve others directly. I love the hospital working environment, and I want to be there with my patients walking with them on the path to their recovery. I want to help and support others, especially those who do not speak English. I know exactly the frustration people feel when they are in pain and unable to express their needs. By serving in a bilingual capacity, I can help both English and Spanish speakers. The smiles and tears of thanks from patients and their loved ones for the help given would be a reward and a privilege.

    After high school, I will attend Rogue Community College and complete the associate nursing program. Later I will attend Southern Oregon University and earn my bachelor’s degree. I look forward to studying new subjects, meeting new people and getting involved in new activities.

• Viridiana Avila
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    My name is Viridiana Avila. I was born and raised in Mexico City. When I was 13 years old, my parents decided to move to Medford, Oregon in search of a brighter future. By making this decision, my parents had to give up everything they had, not just material things but also family, friends, and culture. Knowing that my parents have sacrificed everything they once knew motivates me to become a better person.

    I'm currently a sophomore at Rogue Community College (RCC) where I have discovered the importance of education. Here I managed to be on the honor roll while becoming a leader in my community and school. During the past two years, I have been a Club Latino officer, and helped in Latino programs such as the Oregon Leadership Institute (OLI) and Helping Oregon Latinos Advance (HOLA). Furthermore, I recently joined the Diversity Programming Board of RCC where we promote a culture of inclusion. Also at the end of spring term I was appointed the position of Director of Health, Wellness and Diversity for student government.

    I have several goals. One of them is to become a social worker and work with non-profit organizations that provide social services. Just like my parents, I know I will have to sacrifice many things to accomplish my goals; however, I’m sure it will pay off. By receiving this scholarship I will have the opportunity to continue working on my goal of becoming a professional and extend my network for future opportunities.

• Maribel Barrajas
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    I love pestering doctors with questions about why things work. I’ve always been the translator for my Spanish-speaking family and I’ve enjoyed learning how the body functions. This has led me to pursue a career in the medical field as a pediatrician. I have always been especially interested in the sciences and through the READ Program, I also learned that I really liked working with kids. My conviction was only strengthened by the children’s smiles at the Kid’s Clinic where I did my senior project. Upon reflection, I was strongly influenced by the skills modeled by my mentor Dr. R.D. Jones. I know my chosen career is a rigorous and challenging one but I believe that I am ready to tackle the hard work necessary to be successful.

    To attain these goals, I’ll graduate from the University of Portland with a major in Biology and a minor in Mathematics. After scoring high on the Medical College Admission Test, I’ll move on to medical school. I’ll complete my residency training in an Oregon hospital. I will then begin as a bilingual doctor, so that I can help my patients and their families hear and understand medical information firsthand. Service has always been a part of my life as well and though I will become a pediatrician, that won’t stop me from paying it forward and continuing to perform community service.

• Leticia Barrera
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    Ever since I was a little girl I have wanted to be a doctor. Then as time passed I realized that this career was not the best choice for me. However, I still wanted to work in the medical field. Instead of a doctor, I have decided to become a nurse practitioner.

    In order to accomplish this goal there are certain steps I must take first. I have now graduated from high school and a new chapter in my life has begun. In the fall of 2011 I will be enrolled in the University of Oregon. However, U of O does not offer a nursing program. Therefore, I will finish my prerequisites there and then transfer to the Oregon Health and Science University, where I will hopefully receive my Master’s Degree in nursing. This school is very difficult to get accepted into, so I will also apply to Portland State and this will be my second choice.

    To me, it is very important that I accomplish my goal of becoming a nurse. I do not wish to live my life wondering if I could have ever been more than I am now. My goals are very clear to me, and the path to accomplish them is in front of me. I hope that all the hard work pays off in the end. In six years, I will look back at everything I’ve done to get where I am, and I will smile at all my accomplishments with pride.

• Rocael "Rocky" Cazares
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    I am a first-generation college student. I am a part of Club Latino here at Rogue Community College. I am learning how to be the best mentor for at-risk gang members, so I can help them drop bad habits. I enjoy helping others in my community because change starts with one person at a time.

    My goal is to be a program director of a group home for at-risk gang members. I was once in a program such as this. While staying at a group home I really did learn a lot by living with others who need change in their life. At a group home, one is able to build strong relationships with clients, which is critical when helping someone with their personal life. I am currently running for treasurer and vice-president of Club Latino. I have many plans for the club, which include donation drives to help The Maslow project. I plan to throw several fund raisers not only to collect money for the club, but to get our name out to the community and become a bigger and stronger group.

    As you see I am all about help, whether it’s helping one person or a whole community. One must first help themselves in order to help others succeed. This Southern Oregon Latino Scholarship will help me be more successful, so please help me be the change in our community. Thank you.

• Estrella Cervantes
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    As a recent high school graduate I am often asked what my goals and future plans are, whether it’s going to college or joining the military. Before replying I often contemplate how I should respond but recently I have only replied with 6 simple words: “I want to change the world.” This may be a cliché or a rerun of the Obama campaign but I believe that my goals and future plans reflect who I am as human being perfectly. I believe that nothing is impossible. The only person who is holding you back from your dreams is yourself. I plan not to let the “nay sayers” tell me what I can or cannot do. That is why when I tell people that I plan to change the world through video production many give me doubtful looks. Through video production I want to inspire and change the minds of both English and Spanish speaking audiences, giving new ways to understand their world.

    A filmmaker’s equipment is vital to a production, and I look at education as my best possible means of gaining valuable equipment. I plan to attend Southern Oregon University and focus on communications with a film emphasis. Specifically, while at Southern I will gain many necessary tools, such as those found in the Emerging Media Digital Arts program. I hope to also gain tools through Southern’s renowned theatre arts program. As I wait for the fall term I will continue starting new projects that will bring me closer to my goals.

• Marylee Gallegos-Vargas
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    My family and I moved from Mexico to Medford four years ago. We moved due to the lack of job opportunities for my parents and my family’s inability to make a decent living in Mexico. Living in a different country, with a different culture and language was very hard because I didn’t know either the language or the culture. However, as a Latina my desires to succeed in life makes me work harder every day to become a good citizen of this country, and to help not just my parents but other people like me in my community.

    I have promised to myself that I will make my dream of getting an education come true. My career goal is to become an elementary teacher. By volunteering at an elementary school, I discovered that teaching is my passion. I love the school environment. To achieve my dream, right now I am attending Rogue Community College to get an Associate of Science Degree in Elementary Education. Then I will transfer to Southern Oregon University to eventually complete a Bachelor’s Degree, and finally get a Masters in Teaching.

    After getting a Masters in Teaching, I can see myself being a bilingual elementary teacher, who will be happy to help Latino and Native American students and families who need it. I will not just be teaching what my students don’t know. I will also be helping them to discover their potential, so they can start constructing their dreams just the way I’m constructing mine.

• Nancy Ibarra
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    Ambitious, determined, hard working; these are the characteristics that determine who I am. Growing up, my parents raised me to be a grateful person, they showed me the importance of helping others, and taught me the great value of hard work by which they have been able to make something from small opportunities. My strong determination has allowed me to excel in school, and I plan to continue on doing so. I am very motivated to go far in life and accomplish my many goals, one of them to become a first generation college graduate. Volunteering and being a part of many clubs and activities in and outside of school such as; varsity soccer, GANAS, buddy program, MEChA, etc. has allowed me to open my eyes and view the world differently. I am honored to represent my Latino companions, and working with many at-risk children with similar backgrounds to mine has made me realize how important helping others is to me. It is why, as my career I would like to be a high school counselor and help students, especially Latinos, get to their next step in education. After graduation, I plan to attend Southwestern Oregon Community College for two years and earn my AA/OT degree. I will then transfer to a four year Oregon university and earn a Bachelor’s degree in psychology. Once getting a major in psychology, my goal is to attend graduate school, and finally obtain my Master’s degree in counseling.

• Cynthia Maldonado
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    September 9, 2009 is a day I will never forget. My father was arrested because of his illegal status in the United States after a routine traffic check. An honorable, responsible and hard-working person, my father was destined to endure a sentence of two years in a federal prison. After he completed his two year sentence, he was deported to Mexico, and because of that, my family is now geographically divided without the hope of ever being together again. After my father was sent away, my mother had to take on a second job in order to provide for us. I, being the only girl in the family, had to take on the role of being the “mother” to my brothers. Sometimes, when life gets too hard and I find myself losing motivation, I remember how my father told me not to give up and to always fight for my dreams. I draw on those words to find the inspiration to succeed in life, for my family, my community, but most of all, for myself. The challenges that I have faced in my life have make me stronger. I am a natural leader and I will persevere when life throws obstacles in my way. I am now finishing my first year of college at Rogue Community College, where next fall I will complete my Associate’s Degree and I will transfer to a four year university. My goal is to become an immigration lawyer. In the future I hope to give back to my community by helping low income immigrants and minorities. I would like to wake up every day knowing that I am making a difference in the lives of many people, and making the world a better place to live.

• Judith Rivera
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    My name is Judith Rivera, and my family consists of my parents and my 11 year old brother. I like spending time with my family and friends, and I also like to serve my community. I have volunteered at an immigration office because I wanted to help Latinos with the process of obtaining their legal status. I have also volunteered at Phoenix Library where I had the opportunity to read stories to children and to assist the librarians. I recently finished my first year of college at Rogue Community College (RCC), and it was challenging, but the outcome was rewarding. By working hard and never giving up I got the opportunity to be in the Honor roll this year. I plan to continue at RCC to obtain my transfer degree, so that I can pursue an education as a pediatrician. I have chosen to be a pediatrician because young children provide me joy, and because I want to help Latino families understand the importance of taking their children to the doctor for regular checkups. Becoming a pediatrician will allow me to help low income families that don’t take their children to the doctor because of lack of money. I will help them by volunteering my time to check their children’s health, so they can be healthy. I am proud of my accomplishments as a college student, and I am also thankful for having a supportive family because without them, I wouldn’t be the person that I am now.

• Mayra Romero
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    I am 18 years old and I was born in Los Angeles, CA. I moved to Oregon when I turned 13. My family includes eight people. One of my favorite things to do is play soccer. I started playing soccer my freshman year of high school. One thing that really interests me is the human body. I always wonder how things work inside us.

    As of today I am undecided as to what I want to major in. However, one thing that I know for sure is that I want to pursue a career in the medical field. I’ve always been interested in helping people and I think that a medical career is a good choice. Due to my senior paper I became interested in a career I’ve never thought about before, the career of a medical interpreter. The second career I became interested in is ultrasound technician. I love seeing people smile. I suppose when a woman is pregnant and hears the beat to her baby’s heart it is a great experience and I want to be able to be part of that moment. These two great careers will change my life so I plan to study for one of them.

    After graduation I plan to attend Southern Oregon University for two years then transfer to the best school that best matches the career of my choice. I want to get my bachelor’s degree and start working so I can help my community in any way I can.

• Cristal Salas
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    My name is Cristal Salas and I am a proud graduate of Eagle Point High School. I have five older siblings and a large extended family that I have learned many different aspects of life from. I have lived in White City my entire life and have attended School District 9 for all my years in school. I have been involved with many school and community activities since middle school. From being in leadership starting my freshman year, I have realized the many options of helping in the community. I love doing community service and plan on volunteering whenever I have the chance. Outside of my school, some areas that I have volunteered with the American Red Cross, Hearts with a Mission, Project Homeless Connect, summer school at White Mountain Middle School, and Rogue Valley Medical Center. I learned that I love to help others and combined with my love for the medical field, I decided I want to become a nurse. I plan to attend Southern Oregon University in the fall to earn a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. Although I am not completely sure nursing is the career I want to pursue, I believe I will enter a career in the medical field. I hope that from volunteering, I will gain more knowledge in different careers to get a better idea of which career I would like to pursue.

• Jorge Teran
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    I am currently studying Electronic Technologies and Business Administration at RCC. Upon completion of this program I plan to transfer to a University to double major in Business Administration and Electrical Engineering. Once I have graduated I would like to work with a corporation like Sony or Apple designing the new electronics of the future, while at the same time work with community organizations encouraging and mentoring young students to pursue a higher education and advance degrees.

    My reason for choosing this area of study is because I have always had a love for electronics. Since a young age I clearly remember playing with my Gameboy and listening to my iPod everywhere I went. I could go to school and forget my books and my homework, but never my electronics. I became very interested with the inner working of these devices and I would take them apart to see what was inside. At the time it all looked very confusing to me. Tiny of little batteries, I thought. Not until my first electronic classes did I realize how complex and exciting learning about electronics can be. I became immersed in what has now become my passion, technology.

• Yuriko Zubia
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    My first year in college has been nothing short of hard work. I have learned many new things and have made many new friends from all denominations. I’ve had the pleasure to work with professionals in my field and have been delighted to see them take an interest in my studies. One of the most important and indispensible experiences I’ve had so far, however, involved being taken under one of the older student’s wings. He took my learning to a higher caliber and taught me things outside of the curriculum. I’d like to be to others what he was to me: a mentor, a friend, a peer, and a role model. I’ve also had the pleasure to see a few other Latinos in the intro class that I tutor in the mornings, and it delights me to see them understand the material and ask me for help when they don’t. I will be going back to school this summer for another term as well as continue working close to full time. Upon graduation my first goal will be to find a job. I want to relieve my parents of the burden that will be my student loans, as well as become truly independent. I also plan on pursuing a Master’s in visual effects or another field. I have many passions, but the one that overpowers them all is my desire to positively impact other people’s lives. Regardless of what the setting may be, the overarching theme of my life will always be described by this quote: “Sometimes you have to act as if acting will make a difference, even if you can’t prove that it will.”

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