Carwash to Benefit Scholarship Fund

Proving that success has not made him complacent, George Soriano will get up early this morning and head over to a Chevron gas station where he and other young people will spend the day scrubbing cars and trucks to raise money for the San Fernando Valley Opportunity Through Education Scholarship Fund.

Soriano, a past recipient of the scholarship and currently an award-winning sophomore at Valley College, believes it is the least he can do to help out.

“For people like me, who can’t really afford to go to college, the scholarship is a lot of help,” Soriano said. “I know there are a lot of kids around here who are going to graduate soon and maybe they can use some help too.”

Soriano, 20, of Panorama City, received a $500 scholarship from the organization in 1996.

In May, he was named the top student in CHEMAS, a special math and chemistry program at Valley.

Proceeds from the carwash, which is being sponsored by the San Fernando Valley Youth Organization, will benefit the unusual scholarship fund that was started two years ago by Patricia Franco, a parole officer with the California Youth Authority.

Rather than rewarding the top high school seniors, Franco’s organization attempts to reach out to those students who might otherwise not attend college. To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must have graduated with a C average or higher and must live in the San Fernando Valley.

“One of the main requirements is that the student must have been involved in doing community service work,” Franco said.

So far, more than 20 scholarships totaling $15,000 have been awarded. This year the organization hopes to raise $50,000 and double the scholarship amount from $500 and $1,000 to $1,000 and $2,000, Franco said.

The carwash will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today at the Chevron station at the corner of Truman Street and Maclay Avenue in San Fernando.