The Business Enriched Network will be hosting its third annual poker shuffle this year at the Elk’s in Santa Maria on Aug 13. Our purpose is to give back to the community and to invest in our community in which we work in and live in. We are proud to announce this year’s recipients for our scholarship which will be awarded at our event on August 13th, 2011. In which there will be a dinner and and prizes and events to make the evening an enjoyable event. We are still looking for sponsors as well any one that is interested in donating a prize that can be raffled off at the event. We will be recognizing all donations and sponsors at the event. Prizes can be anything of value and for more information feel free to contact me Gene Perez , email GenePerez@GMSLoans.net. If you happen to be local and would like to attend the event tickets are still available the last event was a success and lots of fun.
Our scholarship is focused on students that have had to over come obstacles in his life and that could of been considered an “at risk” or had to overcome adversity in their lives. I have included excerpts from this years recipients and would like to present this year’s recipients for the Business Enriched Network Scholarship, Thank you.
You can view a video from last year and the event it will be a fun event on Saturday great way to give BACK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND HAVE SOME FUN.
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Maria Luis
On november twenty seventh, two thousand one my life changed completely I lost a best friend, a father and the man that I had looked up to for so long. How were things ever going to be the same I asked myself? I knew that they never would be< but this made me realize that you cant take life for granted; therfore you should always perservere and never let go of your dreams. Before my father passed away there was one thing I promised him; I told him I would follow my dreams no matter what challenges I faced.
Two years later we moved to santa maria, california to live with my grandparents. I am currently a senior at santa maria high school and in june I will be graduating. During my first years in high school I wasn’t the best student academically noe did I perform good conduct this caused me to almost get suspended. I started failing classes and began hanging around with the wrong people. People that pushed me into doing things that now I never would have done. I can remember those days In which I would show up to my math class not understanding the concepts that were being taught. During my junior year I began working hard bringing my grades up and taking extra classes to get back on track to grduate.
During my junior year I started getting involved I joined SOMOS a club I nwhich we inform spanish speaking students. Also, I jioned the junior varsity soccer team and when the season ended I was awared most valuable player by my coach. I am happy to be part of the good changes we have done in our community. In this clubs not only have we learned leadership skills, but we have also helped our community be a better place.
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Thalia Reyes
All I remember thinking was: I blew it! As we gathered outside, the advisor from Escalon came up to us. He said to us that we did well all season long and that we were the team they were determined to beat. At that moment I knew that we had earned the respect and, in a way, the admiration of one of the top teams. I realized that I did my best and that was all that I could do. Just like Emerson said, “ You have done what you could…”. Even though this was a disappointing day, I cannot just forget about it. I learned many lessons, made memories, and gained experience that will last a lifetime and help me in the future. Even though we did not earn the title of a State Champion, I get to come back for one more year. I now realize that you cannot give up because something goes wrong. In the end, you cannot really lose because you gave yourself the experience and the opportunity. I set a goal for myself that year to be first high individual. Unfortunately, I did not achieve it, but I have a second chance to come back and be stronger and better than ever to prove what Santa Maria FFA is all about.
My reasons for applying for financial aid is mostly due to the fact that I come from a low income family with an annual income of about $12,000. My parents are divorced, so I live with my mother who is unemployed due to medical disabilities such as diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis.
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Damian Juarez
My family faces all the same obstacles as most families face. My mom went back to college after age 35 and obtained a Masters degree. When she went back to college I saw how tough it was for her, studying all the time and carrying a full load, but in the it was rewarding. Sadly my dad did not go to college. As mixed thoughts circle in my mind, I realize that he did not graduate from high school. This sole fact and watching my mom struggle to keep our family afloat has ultimately propelled me forward and forced me to strive to become a better person and to attend college. My mom used to say that “not going to college is not an option.” I would hear my mom, but at the time, I was not listening. At first I thought, why go to college, my parents have good jobs and are doing fairly well? But after the economy hit, and affected everyone, I saw how tough things really were; the struggles my parents were going through. My dad, who had a decent job, lost that job during the recession and with no educational background he is now struggling to find a job. It became painfully obvious that without a college degree I cannot hope to get far in life.Santa Maria Student Recieving BEN Scholarship
Tags: scholarship
