On June 19, 2021, Latino U College Access (LUCA) hosted its second annual Familia Appreciation Day honoring the Latino U Scholars graduating Class of 2021 who represent four Westchester County high schools – Alexander Hamilton High School, Ossining High School, Sleepy Hollow High School, and White Plains High School. This celebration was hosted at the Wilson House in White Plains and brought together Scholars, Families, Volunteer College Coaches, and the LUCA team for the first time in-person this academic year.
Familia Appreciation Day kicked off with the First En Familia Scholarship presentation. Since 2015, LUCA has distributed $53,000 to commendable Scholars. This year alone, the organization was thrilled to award $10,000 in scholarships to ten exceptional winners.
Four awards were graciously given by a pair of the organization’s corporate partners: Univision New York and PepsiCo. At the scholarship presentation, LUCA welcomed Hector Gonzalez from PepsiCo and Univision New York’s morning anchor for Al Despertar, Elián Zidán, to present the awards to the winners. The remaining six scholarships were established in memory of loved ones who motivated first-generation students to pursue their college dreams.
“We are so proud of the Latino U Scholars Class of 2021 – who are LUCA’s first virtual class from start to finish – for reaching this important milestone and becoming the first in their families to attend college” shared Cosette Gutierrez, Executive Director of Latino U College Access. “Congratulations to our First En Familia Scholarship winners and special thanks to our corporate partners and those who have honored loved ones by supporting LUCA Scholarships. We know these awards will have a lasting impact on our Scholars’ lives!”
The event continued by celebrating the achievements of Latino U Scholars and recognizing the dedication of their Volunteer College Coaches. Scholars and their families received special graduation gifts, and all of the guests enjoyed Peruvian fusion food from Latusion Food Truck.
LUCA continued to honor the Class of 2021 during a Virtual Graduation Celebration held on June 29. Founded in 2012, Latino U College Access (LUCA) is a social impact organization that transforms lives by making college dreams a reality for low-income, first-generation, Latino youth. LUCA guides students, who have demonstrated academic ability, through individualized coaching and culturally relevant programming, as they navigate higher education and enroll in schools that meet their financial and academic needs. To learn more about LUCA or to make a donation in support of its mission, please visit www.latinou.org.
