LYNN– The Lynn Hispanic Scholarship Fund will be celebrating its 30th Annual Scholarship Gala Friday, May 14 at 6:30 p.m.
The fund was created in 1991 by community members in Lynn who saw a need to help Latino youth fund their college educations.
Laura Marque Sanchez, president, said the fund awards 12 scholarships worth $1,000 each to Hispanic students from any of the city’s high schools.
In addition to these 12 scholarships, the scholarship fund also provides a $5,000 grant to a Lynn Hispanic student that is either an undocumented immigrant, a member of the LGBTQ community, or both. This $5,000 scholarship was incorporated into the fund two years ago and is awarded through a partnership with the Verny Samayoa Foundation, which, Sanchez said, is a major advocate for the LGBTQ community.
“Now we are giving $5,000 to whoever fits the description of LGBTQ and/or undocumented so they can use towards their college education,” she said.
According to Sanchez, the scholarship fund has grown immensely over time, as the first award in 1991 was $50.
The money for these scholarships is from community sponsors, donations from banks, some politicians and businesses in the community.
“We are basically community funded,” Sanchez said.
The COVID-19 pandemic affected the ability to raise funds the way that the organization is used to, so Sanzhez said this year’s virtual gala, which is the organization’s main event, is going to be essential to continue to provide the resources to Lynn graduates.
The keynote speaker at this virtual gala is Carolina Trujillo, who is Essex Media Group’s community relations manager and publisher of La Voz, EMG’s Spanish newspaper.
“We’re very excited to have Carolina Trujillo be our keynote speaker this year,” said Sanchez. “I feel like she is going to be the right person to kind of give that boost to kids who have been going to school remotely, who are kind of confused, and don’t really know what to do. I feel like she’s just going to be an inspiration to the kids.”
Trujillo said she is happy to be involved with this event as the keynote speaker and is proud of the achievements of all of the recipients.
The Lynn Hispanic Scholarship Fund plans to host other events this year, according to Sanchez, including some political events to support the election season and get their name out there.
“(We) might as well use this platform for the better good, to raise money for scholarships for kids,” she said.
Sanchez said most high school graduates-to-be who receive the scholarship are first-generation college students and this provides extra support for this endeavor.
“You’re embedding all of these roots, and that’s what these kids are doing,” she said. “They’re solidifying their roots here, not just in Lynn, but for their families.”
Having the ability to further your education is huge, Sanchez said. She hopes this scholarship promotes education for the recipients, ultimately carrying this on to their children and family members.
“It’s a good cycle to preserve,” she said.
The gala is open to the public, and tickets are being sold for $30 per person and can be purchased on their website at https://www.lynnhispanicscholarshipfund.org. For any details regarding purchasing ads or for information about the scholarship can contact Sanchez at [email protected].
Allysha Dunnigan can be reached at [email protected]
