U-46 Latino students to receive scholarships Saturday

More than 20 Elgin Area School District U-46 high school seniors will be honored during Club Guadalupano's annual Latino Awards Banquet Saturday at the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin.

This is the club's 42nd year of awarding scholarships to U-46 students - the first Latino Awards Banquet began in 1977 with scholarships available exclusively to graduating high school seniors.

This year, the Club Guadalupano Scholarship Committee reviewed 66 applications before selecting 23 recipients based on academic excellence, school and community involvement, and personal essays.

"We're excited to once again celebrate some of our amazing students for their exemplary academic performance and service," U-46 CEO Tony Sanders said. "We join their parents, teachers and local community leaders in commending these students."

Twenty-one students from the district's five high schools will receive a Zoilo Santiago Memorial Award for Academic Achievement, named in honor of the late U-46 bilingual teacher whose commitment to the community went beyond the classroom.

Students receiving scholarships include:

•Bartlett High School - German Acevedo, Denise Valdez, Jasmine Méndez, Rey Gordino, Jacqueline Zarate

•Elgin High School - Guadalupe Chávez, Vanessa Róbelo, Weyne Berduo

•Larkin High School - Caroline Chwalisz, Maritza Rentería, Lesley Pozos, Carlos Toledo, Elisa Arce, Jair Núñez

•South Elgin High School - Mackenzie Molina, Maritza Pitones

•Streamwood High School - Karina Adán, Diego Castillo, Christian González, Kiara Kerkoofs, Edgar Gasca

Arce will receive the William Castillo Memorial Award for School and Community Service, named after a former U-46 school board member who was the first Hispanic elected to public service in the area and former president of Centro de Información.

Elgin Community College also will award ECC Foundation scholarships to Zarate and Castillo, and ECC trustee scholarships to Núñez and Gasca.

Tickets to the banquet are $60 per person. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. followed by the banquet at 7 p.m.