BALDWIN PARK – Sierra Vista High School senior Alejandro Flores was always told by his grandfather that education is power, and with a determination to be the first member of his family to attend university, Flores is one step closer to his dream after being named a 2018 Dell Scholar and earning a $20,000 scholarship toward tuition.
As part of the Dell Scholars Program, an initiative of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Flores will also receive a laptop, textbook credit and ongoing support, including financial aid coaching and academic counseling, to address any challenges that may prevent scholars from completing university. The program recognized more than 500 scholars this year.
“Going to college is something I’ve wanted since I was a kid, and when I found out I won there was a rush of emotions because something I really desired is happening and now I feel a huge relief,” Flores said. “Seeing my parents’ struggles and how they’ve overcome has inspired me and now I want to give back to them everything they gave.”
Throughout his childhood, Flores saw first-hand the hardships immigrants face with his parents dedicating their time and resources to help extended family members successfully relocate to the United States from Mexico and Nicaragua.
The Dell Scholars Program emphasizes a student’s determination to succeed beyond academic records and test scores, and with a 3.95 weighted GPA Flores has demonstrated a deep commitment to his education and the ambition to thrive beyond high school.
Flores will attend California State University, Fullerton to earn a degree in business. His long-term goal is to attend law school, in hopes of becoming a corporate lawyer.
A student in Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) since his sophomore year, Flores keeps a rigorous schedule of Advanced Placement courses, maintaining three such classes a year. He has trained in taekwondo since the age of 4, and for the last four years the black-belt holder has volunteered at his local studio, training students to excel through a positive mindset.
“Alejandro has a high level of integrity and determination, and I always appreciate his depth of thought,” said Edward Meyer, an English and AVID teacher at Sierra Vista High School. “He is very comfortable with where he is from and who he is, and his deep-seated values contribute to a better understanding of how we see the world.”
Flores credits Meyer for mentoring and guiding him since he was a freshman at Sierra Vista to push his boundaries of success.
The Dell Scholars program was created to recognize and assist underrepresented, first-generation college students.
“We are so proud of Alejandro Flores for what he has accomplished, and we are excited to see where his determination and dreams take him,” Baldwin Park Unified Superintendent Dr. Froilan N. Mendoza said. “The teachers and staff at Sierra Vista High School are committed to providing guidance and support for our students, and their efforts are certainly recognized in the students’ success.”
PHOTOS
BPUSD_SVHS_DELL_SCHOLAR_1: Sierra Vista High School senior Alejandro Flores was among 500 students across the nation selected as Dell Scholars for 2018, earning a $20,000 scholarship to complete his post-secondary education.