2 Students Honored by Scholarship Fund

Two San Fernando Valley students are among five high school sophomores who on Wednesday were awarded scholarships worth as much as $16,000 from the Warren Christopher Fund.

George Mata of Sylmar High School and Monique Simpson of Chatsworth received the awards, which are presented annually to outstanding 10th-graders in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

George is a member of his school’s academic decathlon and basketball teams, and has been on the academic honor roll for the past two years. Monique is a recipient of the Presidential Academic Fitness Award, a member of Young Black Scholars and has served as class president and a member of her school’s student council.

Other recipients are Norma Dominguez of Banning High School, Huong Dac Mau of Belmont High School and Norma Sanchez of Hamilton High School.

“It is the largest scholarship program in the district’s history and is among the largest scholarship programs of its kind in the United States,” said district Supt. Sidney Thompson.

“It is our hope that the Christopher Scholarship Awards and the encouragement of family, teachers and counselors will provide the incentive for these fine students to complete high school and continue on to college.”

Winners will receive a minimum $12,000 scholarship upon graduating high school.

Those who earn an overall grade point average of at least 3.25 out of 4.0 will receive an additional $4,000.

The Christopher Scholarship Fund is a $1.5-million perpetual scholarship fund created by the Los Angeles law firm of O’Melveny & Myers on behalf of U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher.