Burqueños for Education and Empowerment Announces 2020 BEE Scholarship, and Se Vale Soñar Recipients

A total of 10 high school, and laptop scholarships have been awarded

Albuquerque, NM July 6th, 2020: This is our third year offering both scholarships and although these are uncertain and difficult times, graduations are still occurring and futures continue to be planned. We received a large amount of scholarship applications and could not be more impressed with the quality of applicants this year, making the decision process difficult for the BEE Scholarship Committee.

“This is a great core of scholarship recipients and the selection process was difficult,” said Diana Garcia, Director of the BEE Scholarship Committee. “We saw inspirational qualities within all of our applicants.”

It is therefore with great excitement that BEE announces its 2020 recipients for our high school and laptop scholarships! Recipients of this year are:

Alexis Gonzales from Atrisco Heritage Academy

Alexis wants to act as a role model for her younger siblings and inspire them to go to college like her. “I was so happy jumping up and down and I ran to my little brother’s room to tell him the news!” she told us about when she found out that she was a recipient. Alexis will be attending UNM with plans to study biology and eventually become a physical therapist so she can, “help people to work back on getting to their everyday lives. This is something I have always wanted to do with my future,” said Alexis.

Emmilee Newkirk from Mark Armijo Academy

Emmilee was very excited when she received notification that she was a scholarship recipient. “My initial reaction included me jumping up and down, my mouth open,” she said. Emmilee will be attending CNM for a year before transferring to UNM to continue her education. Emmilee has a desire to break the cycle of poverty and use her education to become an immigration lawyer and help others.

Norma Rodriguez from South Valley Academy

Norma was surprised to discover she had won a scholarship “because there were so many more candidates that could have [received] it.” She will be attending NMSU in the fall to study international business which will eventually lead her to her dream job “[where] I will actually enjoy and just work,” she said.

Itzel Luna Perea from South Valley Academy

Itzel was “very grateful to get this scholarship” and has a unique story of her overcoming great struggles early in high school which caused her GPA to drop. She became inspired by her single mother and wants to use her education to enter the medical field and eventually uplift her South Valley community which she says is lacking medical professionals.

And Eric Enriquez from South Valley Academy

Recipients of the Se Vale Soñar Scholarship, inspired by inaugural BEE Scholarships recipient Daisy Astorga Gonzalez, were the following five incredible students:

Andres Estrada from Albuquerque High School

Andres was surprised to find out he was a Se Vale Soñar Scholarship recipient but said he was, “proud of myself to have won the scholarship.” Andres will be attending CNM in the fall to study nursing but eventually wants to focus on pediatric nursing where in the future he wants to work at a children’s clinic.

 
Guadalupe Zarate from West Mesa High School

Guadalupe, or “Lupe”, was also very surprised when she found out that she was a laptop scholarship recipient, while also being happy and excited. She will be attending UNM in the fall and pursue nursing and Spanish to become a bilingual registered nurse.

Ashley Marquez from Atrisco Heritage Academy

Ashley was immediately honored and thankful upon hearing she was a scholarship recipient. “I don’t think I would be able to start college on my own. When I first received the scholarship, I couldn’t believe it because I never win anything. So I was really excited when I received [the] email,” she said. Ashley wants to study animal medicine while attending CNM in the fall. Later, she wants to move to Colorado to attend the best veterinarian school and continue her pursuit to help animals and hopefully open her own animal clinic. “Muchas gracias por esta oportunidad y estoy muy orgullosa,” she said.

Maria Fernanda Aguilar Gallegos from Tierra Encantada Charter School

And Mariana Arana Palacios from South Valley Academy

Please join us in congratulating each of our scholarship recipients and wishing them happiness and success as they enter new journeys in their lives!

Lastly, we have been asked about our annual bowling tournament which usually happens in May. Our bowling tournament in not cancelled, but is delayed. As soon as restrictions are lifted and it has been cleared to be safe for everyone to attend, the bowling tournament will be rescheduled at that time.

We thank everyone that has supported us in what is now our sixth year as a non-profit serving the youth of Albuquerque. We are extremely thankful and appreciative of each of you.

Please continue to follow BEE Scholarships for updates about the scholarships and other news! We wish you and your families good health.

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