COUNTYWIDE : 24 Grads to Receive Herrera Scholarships

Twenty-four Orange County high school graduates will receive $31,000 in scholarships Saturday from the Efren Herrera Scholarship Foundation.

The nonprofit organization was created six years ago by Herrera, former place-kicker for the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys football teams, and Manuel Ramirez, presiding justice of the Appellate Court of San Bernardino, in an effort to raise money for college-bound Latino students.

Herrera and Ramirez “were concerned about the high dropout rate of Hispanic high school students, which was close to 50% in 1988,” said Suzanne Levin Herrera, foundation secretary and Efren Herrera’s wife.

“These scholarships help a lot of students who are really in critical financial need.”

“Some of these kids are the first college-bound students in the family,” Suzanne Herrera said. “That’s a really neat feeling.”

Two students will receive $2,000 each for earning the highest grade-point averages and SAT scores among all the recipients.

They are: Stephanie Dittmer, who graduated from University High School, and Raymond Perez, who graduated from Lutheran-Orange High.

Nine students will be awarded $1,500 each for achieving high grades and volunteering in their communities.

They are Christina Fernandez of Anaheim High School, Richard Pimental of Fountain Valley High, Maria Mendez of Laguna Beach High, Yudis Coreas of Costa Mesa High, Magana Beatriz of Century High, Marivel Bermudez of Anaheim High, Yolanda Rodriguez of Foothill High, Adriana Florez of Buena Park High and Rogelio Sanchez of Valley High.

Twelve other graduates will receive $1,000 each for outstanding scholastic performance.

They are Jeffrey Byers of Capistrano Valley High, Lorena Gonzalez of Villa Park High, Karen Hernandez and Christy Molino of Sonora High, Cassandra Flenker of Dana Hills High, Carmen Pelago of Garden Grove High, Brenda Barajas and Maria Negrete of Buena Park High, Eduardo Manzo of Saddleback High, Ricardo Araiza of Century High, Diana Argudin of Rosary High and Gabriela Franco of Los Amigos High.

A special $1,000 scholarship was awarded to Kennedy High School graduate Jason Flores in memory of the late Rams football player Carl Ekern.

All the scholarship recipients graduated with honors and plan to attend four-year colleges or universities.

The scholarship money was raised at the foundation’s annual golf tournament, the Efren Herrera Celebrity Golf Classic in La Habra Heights.

Professional athletes and actors participated in the tournament last month.

The foundation has given $244,000 in scholarships in the past six years.

This year’s recipients will be awarded their scholarships at a luncheon at the Casa Maria Mexican Restaurant in Anaheim.

All Latino high school seniors in Orange County may apply for the scholarship, Suzanne Herrera said. “Every public and private high school has the applications.”