Awardees will be honored across multiple virtual ceremonies, including the Technology Award Ceremony on Saturday, February 14.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) today announced the Youth Awards recipients for the Technology category. A total of 30 outstanding high school seniors across the country will be honored for their dedication to serving others, vision, and leadership in the classroom and community. The honorees will be celebrated during a virtual ceremony on Saturday, February 14, at 6 PM AST/ 5 PM EST / 2 PM PST / 12 PM HST.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements and vision of these brilliant, young leaders, who will carry on the tradition of past Youth Awardees,” said Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of HHF. “We are grateful to our dedicated sponsors who understand the importance of investing in the youngest and most dynamic segment of our population. That investment will be worthwhile as we look to these students to move our community and America forward.”
Noelia Velazquez, 2024 Regional Youth Award GOLD recipient for Media and Entertainment and Miss Teen All American, will host the five virtual Youth Awards Ceremonies. She studies Entrepreneurship with minors in Journalism and Fashion at High Point University, where she is a Campus Ambassador, Women’s L.I.F.T. Fellowship Executive Council member, and HPU Vision anchor. Within Alpha Gamma Delta, she serves as Director of Philanthropy. Noelia also founded Girl Strong by Noe, a national initiative empowering young girls through confidence‑building workshops, and she proudly advocates for global cleft care as a Smile Train ambassador.
Click HERE to RSVP and learn more about this group of 30 high school seniors selected from ten regions across the United States:
Blue Region: DE, DC, KY, MD, NJ, PA, VA, and WV
GOLD – Keven Amaya Munoz – District Heights, MD – Charles Herbert Flowers High School
SILVER – Katherine Andrade- Gaithersburg, MD – Quince Orchard High School
BRONZE – Benjamin Irizarry – Little Falls, NJ – PCTI STEM Academy
Burgundy Region: OK and TX
GOLD – Zeviel Pineda – Brownsville, TX – Veterans Memorial Early College High School
SILVER – Serena Herrera – Dallas, TX – Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet
BRONZE – Maximiliano Rodriguez – San Juan, TX – Vanguard Academy Rembrandt
Green Region: FL and GA
GOLD – Jessica Schmilovich- Boca Raton, FL – Pine Crest School
SILVER – April Surac – Cocoa, FL – Acellus Academy
BRONZE – Jared Castillo – Thomasville, GA – Thomas County Central High School
Orange Region: AL, AR, LA, MS, NC, SC, and TN
GOLD – Juan Pablo Ortiz Medina – Wake Forest, NC – Heritage High School
SILVER – Neema Patel – North Little Rock, AR – Lisa Academy North Middle-High School
BRONZE – Pietro Moreira- Hammond, LA – Lone Star High School
Pink Region: IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, MO, OH, and WI
GOLD – Miranda Diaz – Chicago, IL – Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
SILVER – Nyleah Jones – Chicago, IL – Albert G. Lane Technical High School
BRONZE – Solena Ornelas Pagnucci – Chicago, IL – Francis W. Parker School
Purple Region: CA and NV
GOLD – Fatima Acosta – Wilmington, CA
Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy
SILVER – Roman Manzo Gudino – Reedley, CA – Reedley High School
BRONZE – Emmanuel Rodriguez Mejia – Santa Ana, CA – Middle College High School
Red Region: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, and VT
GOLD – Alexandra Sepulveda – Holbrook, NY – St. Anthony’s High School
SILVER – Yesenia Minarcaja – Brooklyn, NY – International High School at Prospect Heights
BRONZE – Carolina Notaro Machado – Malden, MA
Mystic Valley Regional Charter High School
Tan Region: AK, AS, GU, HI, PR, and VI
GOLD – Iroel Gonzalez – Guaynabo, PR – Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola
SILVER – Dan Delgado-Ayala – Las Piedras, PR – The Palmas Academy
BRONZE – Hector Irizarry – Aguadilla, PR – Carib Christian School
Teal Region: CO, ID, KS, MT, NE, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, and WY
GOLD – Ronan Avila – Longmont, CO – Silver Creek High School
SILVER – Jade Santana Hernandez – Arvada, CO – Arrupe Jesuit High School
BRONZE – John Orta Cabrales – Portland, OR – Reynolds High School
Yellow Region: AZ and NM
GOLD – Nathan Zermeno – Peoria, AZ – Peoria High School
SILVER – Alessandra Vermeys – Litchfield Park, AZ – St. John Paul II Catholic High School
BRONZE – Ella Romero – Tonopah, AZ – Tonopah Valley High School
Three students per region will be honored with gold, silver, and bronze medallions at five virtual ceremonies presented by The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive, Southwest Airlines, and COMCAST NBCUniversal/Telemundo. One national recipient per category will also be recognized and celebrated at the in‑person National Youth Awards ceremony.
Other supporters of the Youth Awards include Capital Wire PR, Es Tiempo, Freddie Mac, Intersect, Minecraft Education, and Teach for America.
About the Hispanic Heritage Foundation and the Youth Awards
The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing education, workforce development, societal impact, and leadership, with culture serving as the cornerstone of its mission. Through the 27-year-old Youth Awards, thousands of high school students from all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and D.C., have been recognized for their achievements in the classroom and community, and their focus on a career path in all STEM areas, entrepreneurship, media, public service, and other categories. Visit www.HispanicHeritage.org.
Follow HHF on Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok. Listen to the HHF podcast Fritanga on your favorite streaming service and HHF YouTube channel.
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Media Contact: Nicolas@HispanicHeritage.org
