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

Hispanic Heritage Foundation

Awardees to be celebrated during virtual ceremonies – Community Service (Category) Award Ceremony will be on Saturday, February 1st

VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) today announced the Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards recipients for the Community Service category, presented by Colgate-Palmolive. 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 1st, 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 five 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 – Zahra Dinkins – Washington, DC – School without Walls

SILVER – Azul Sanchez Mancinas – Morgantown, WV – University High School

BRONZE – Jamie Dunn – Mount Laurel, NJ – Holy Cross Preparatory Academy

Burgundy Region: OK and TX.

GOLD – Stefan Sy – Pharr, TX – STISD Science Academy

SILVER – David Tobon – Bulverde, TX – BASIS San Antonio Shavano Campus

BRONZE – Addison Roberts – San Antonio, TX – Alamo Heights High School

Green Region: FL and GA.

GOLD – Alejandra Coletti – Weston, FL – NSU University School

SILVER – Veronica De Moya – Cutler, FL – Miami Arts Studio 6-12 @Zelda Glazer

BRONZE – Daniela Vesga – Weston, FL – School for Advanced Studies-South

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

GOLD – William Rierson – Mount Airy, NC – Mount Airy High School

SILVER – Yaelle Lieb – Greensboro, NC – Northern Guilford High School

BRONZE – Cairo Tineo – Matthews, NC – Arborbrook Christian Academy

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

GOLD – Melissa Juarez-Best – Fridley, MN – Fridley Senior High School

SILVER – Victoria Contreras – Beavercreek, OH – Beavercreek High School

BRONZE – Alejandra Rodriguez Santiago – Rock Island – IL – Pleasant Valley High School

Purple Region: CA and NV.

GOLD – Alexis DiPrima – Rosemead, CA – Rosemead High School

SILVER – Ivanna Ruiz – Chula Vista, CA – Olympian High School

BRONZE – Jazmine Cardenas – San Dimas, CA – San Dimas High School

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

GOLD – Alicia Madjido – Melville, NY – Half Hollow Hills High School East

SILVER – Iago Macknik-Conde – Brooklyn, NY

BRONZE – Xerxes Loor – New York, NY – Fordham Preparatory School

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

GOLD – Sofia Segarra – San Juan, PR – Commonwealth Parkville School

SILVER – Daniela Benítez Estarellas – Guaynabo, PR – Colegio Puertorriqueño de Ninas

BRONZE – Fabiola Gonzalez-Cruz – San Juan, PR – Academia Maria Reina

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

GOLD – Diego Gómez-Zamora – Omaha – NE – Creighton Preparatory School

SILVER – Symond Boschetto – West Linn – OR – West Linn High School

BRONZE – Mia Romero – Lone Tree, CO – Highlands Ranch High School

Yellow Region: AZ and NM.

GOLD – Marina Braggio – Scottsdale, AZ – BASIS Scottsdale

SILVER – Sophia DiPonio – Tucson, AZ – BASIS Tucson North

BRONZE – Lizbeth Ortiz – Buckeye, AZ – Buckeye Union High School

At five virtual ceremonies presented by The Coca-Cola Company (Green category), Colgate-Palmolive (Community Service category), Southwest Airlines (Engineering category), T-Mobile, (Technology category) and Wells Fargo (Entrepreneurship category), 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 InstagramFacebookX, and TikTok.  Listen to the HHF podcast Fritanga on your favorite streaming service and HHF YouTube channel.

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Media Contact: [email protected]

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