Hispanic Heritage Foundation announce recipients of the Youth Awards celebrating high school seniors for leadership in classroom and community and focus on various categories

Awardees to be celebrated during virtual ceremonies – Green (Category) Award Ceremony will be on Saturday, February 15th

VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) today announced the Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards recipients for the Green category, presented by The Coca-Cola Company.  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 15^th at 6 PM AST/ 5 PM EST / 2 PM PST.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements and potential of these young, innovative 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. We need their leadership today, not just in the future because we can’t afford to wait.”

Paulina Chávez, known for her roles in Netflix’s “The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia” and “Fate: The Winx Saga,” will host the upcoming  virtual Youth Awards Ceremonies and the in-person National Ceremony this Spring. Her film “The Long Game” is streaming on Netflix. Paulina stars in Taylor Sheridan’s drama series “Landman” on Paramount+ and is set to appear in Disney+’s “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip.”

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 – Melisa Velasquez-Zunun – Georgetown, DE – Sussex Central High School

SILVER – Alesandro Alfaro – Sterling, VA – Dominion High School

BRONZE – Tatiana Gallo Suarez – Fairfax, VA – Robinson Secondary School

Burgundy Region: OK and TX.

GOLD – Cristian Gonzalez – San Antonio, TX – Central Catholic High School

SILVER – Olivia Arredondo – San Antonio, TX – Young Women’s Leadership Academy

BRONZE – Martha Chavez-Lua – San Antonio, TX – Young Women’s Leadership Academy

Green Region: FL and GA.

GOLD – Alexander Knoepffler – Coral Gable, FL – Palmer Trinity School

SILVER – Isabel O’Connell – Marietta, GA – North Cobb High School

BRONZE – Rachel Robles – Jacksonville, FL – Providence School

Orange Region: AL, AR, LA, MS, NC, SC, and TN.

GOLD – Derek Diaz – Knoxville, TN – Farragut High School

SILVER – Joelle Matar – Charlotte, NC – South Mecklenburg High School

BRONZE – Stephany Portillo Gomez – Mint Hill, NC – Independence High School

Pink Region: IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, MO, OH, and WI.

GOLD – Jenny Carrasco – Chicago, IL – Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School

SILVER – Ashley Dueñas – Hometown, IL – Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School

BRONZE – Raul Cruz – Bloomington, IN – Bloomington High School South

Purple Region: CA and NV.

GOLD – Allison Paredes – Wilmington, CA – Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy

SILVER – Daniela Murawczyk – Menlo Park, CA – Crystal Springs Uplands School

BRONZE – Kimberly Escobar – Sylmar, CA – Granada Hills Charter High School

Red Region: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, and VT.

GOLD – Pablo Cienfuegos de Paz – North Haven, CT – North Haven High School

SILVER – Amelia Damato – Derby Line, VT – North Country Union High School

BRONZE – Julianna Calabia – New York, NY – The High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College New York

Tan Region: AK, AS, GU, HI, PR, and VI.

GOLD – Alejandro Cardona – San Sebastian, PR – Patria La Torre

SILVER – Luciana Perez – Dorado, PR – TASIS School in Dorado

BRONZE – Adriana Claudio – Caguas, PR – Escuela Secundaria Especializada en Ciencias, Matemáticas y Tecnología (CIMATEC)

Teal Region: CO, ID, KS, MT, NE, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, and WY.

GOLD – Anayelli Marquez Munoz – Denver, CO – Aurora Central High School

SILVER – A’olena Bonilla – Castle Rock, CO – Lutheran High School

BRONZE – Ainsley Tyler – Centennial, CO – Cherry Creek High School

Yellow Region: AZ and NM.

GOLD – Lorenzo Lujan – Anton Chico, NM – Robertson High School

SILVER – Edgar Sandoval – Phoenix, AZ – Centennial High School

BRONZE – Sophia Orellana – Laveen, AZ – Betty H. Fairfax High School

At five virtual ceremonies presented by The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive, Southwest Airlines, and Wells Fargo, three students per region will be honored with gold, silver, and bronze medallions. One national recipient per category will be recognized and celebrated at the National Youth Awards ceremony.

Other supporters of the Hispanic Heritage 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

HHF’s mission focuses on education, workforce, social impact, and identity through the lens of leadership and culture. Through HHF’s 26-year-old Youth Awards program, tens of thousands of high-achieving high school students have been recognized and received more than eight million dollars to support their education, ideas or projects.  Once they are vetted through the Youth Awards, alumni are connected to a larger network providing mentors, programs, and career path opportunities through the award-winning LOFT (Latinos On Fast Track) program throughout college, grad school and into their careers. 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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