Contact: Maria Abad
Qorvis Communications
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Thirty-four California Students Awarded Esteemed Horatio Alger State Scholarship
Arthur A. Ciocca Provides $136,000 in Scholarships to Teens for Overcoming Adversity

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2011 – The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is pleased to announce that it has awarded scholarships to 34 outstanding high school students in California. Each scholar will receive $4,000 toward their college education. The students were selected for the Horatio Alger California Scholarship because they persevered in overcoming adversity while succeeding academically, contributing to the community and exhibiting exemplary character.

“We are privileged to provide scholarships to the deserving students from California to attend college and achieve the American dream,” said Tony Novelly, president and chief executive officer of the Horatio Alger Association. “These students have overcome significant challenges in their lives and have become stronger, more determined people because of it.”

The state scholarships are made possible by Arthur A. Ciocca who has sponsored the Horatio Alger scholarships for ten years.

The scholarships provided by the Horatio Alger State Scholarship Programs range from $2,500 to $20,000 and are sponsored by Horatio Alger members and friends. In 2011, the programs are awarding more than 850 state scholarships to students throughout the country. This marks the first year that the state scholarships are assisting students in all 50 states.

Horatio Alger scholars are provided with numerous resources to ensure a successful college career. Each student receives:

• Financial aid guidance to assist in the selection of, and preparation for, college.
• Access to the association’s website, where students can create online profiles, search for fellow scholars, update their personal information, submit disbursement requests and direct questions to the association.
• Access to a toll-free information line, to speak to program coordinators for assistance with questions about their scholarships and other educational programs.

The 2011 California recipients are:

• Haidar Ali, Lodi High School, Lodi
• Rasmeiy Chhuy, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Fresno
• Igdalia Covarrubias, Farmersville High School, Farmersville
• Anton Davydov, Hiram W. Johnson High School West Campus High, Sacramento
• Blake Deal, Will C. Wood High School, Vacaville
• Emily Deng, Tamalpais High School, Mill Valley
• Jonathan Diaz, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Fresno
• Morgan Duncan, Trinity High School, Weaverville
• Jennider Ezeokoli, Middle College High School, San Pablo
• Mennen Kassa, Cupertino High School, Cupertino
• Alexandria Lee, Roseville High School, Roseville
• Joana Lu, Oakland High School, Oakland
• Michelle Luu, Yerba Buena High School, San Jose
• Hector Martinez, Terra Nova High School, Pacifica
• Hung Pham, Jesse M. Bethel High School, Vallejo
• Tiffany Racz, South Lake Tahoe High School, South Lake
• Marco Ruiz, Lodi High School, Lodi
• Agusta Schwartz, Trinity High School, Weaverville
• Jennifer Siu, Mills High School, Millbrae
• Sina So, Middle College High School, Stockton
• Anmol Sohail, Middle College High School, Stockton
• Jaspal Suri, Stockdale High School, Bakersfield
• Eeron Sweezer, Lindhurst High School, Olivehurst
• Winnie Tang, Oakland Technical High School, Oakland
• Joule Thomas, South High School, Bakersfield
• Omar Valencia, John H. Pitman High School, Turlock
• Billy Vang, Lindsurst High School, Olivehurst
• Tiffany Vargas, Inion Mine High School, El Dorado
• Jasmine Velasquez, Porterville High School, Porterville
• Joseph Venoza, Vallejo Senior High School, Vallejo
• James Vo, The Preuss School UCSD, La Jolla
• Jennifer Vuong, Andrew Putnam Hill High School, San Jose
• Sean Yith, Sunnyside High School, Fresno
• Hassan Zahir, Abraham Lincoln High School, San Francisco

To view the complete list of Horatio Alger scholars and members, visit our website at www.horatioalger.org. The 2012 Horatio Alger Scholarship Application will be available beginning August 1 – October 30, 2011 at www.horatioalger.org/scholarships.

About the Horatio Alger Association:
Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans continues to fulfill its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals in our society who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. The Horatio Alger Association offers three annual scholarship programs: the National Scholarship Program, state scholarship programs, and graduate grants. The association will have awarded more than $87 million in scholarships through 2012 to deserving young people determined to earn college degrees. The association is a Combined Federal Campaign participant; # 77062. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org

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