The United Farm Workers will honor children of worker families for their academic success and dedication to community service in the first of several scholarship award ceremonies in California and the Pacific Northwest.

Salinas, Calif. – Efren Barajas, 2nd Vice President of the United Farm Workers, will distribute five of ten scholarships this Friday, August 19, 2011 to children of UFW union members working in the central coast. This will be the first of several ceremonies that will be held throughout California and the Pacific Northwest to distribute the ¡Si Se Puede! Scholarships. A total of $9,500 will be awarded to ten recipients.

The students were selected to receive the scholarships based on their outstanding academic achievement and exemplary volunteer and community service. “We hope to see the recipients return as professionals and help us continue the fight for better working conditions and protections for farm workers,” said Barajas.

The scholarship recipients in the Salinas event are: Julissa Vigil, daughter of Jesus Vigil-Ramirez, a farm worker at Coastal Berry North; Brenda Salvador, daughter of Daria Espinoza, a farm worker at Coastal Berry North; Ilce Rodriguez, daughter of Columba Avila, a farm worker at Monterey Mushrooms; Roxanna Hernandez, daughter of Alberto Hernandez, a farm worker at Huntington Farms; and Tatiana Zamora, daughter of Maria Duarte, a farm worker at Coastal Berry North.
 
THE UNITED FARM WORKERS’ ¡SI SE PUEDE! SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS BANQUET

ATTENDEES & INVITED GUESTS: Efren Barajas, 2nd Vice President of the United Farm Workers, the recipients, and their families will be in attendance. All United Farm Worker Members, UFW Retirees, and members of the community are welcome to attend.
 
WHERE: Cesar E. Chavez Community Park, 268 N. Madeira Avenue, Salinas, CA
 
WHEN: Friday, August 19, 2011
 
TIME: The reception will start at 6:00 pm and the ceremony will begin at 7:00 pm