Sacramento >> The California Wine Grape Growers Foundation (CWGGF) awarded Lower Lake High School seniors Martha Montanez and Maria Perez college scholarships. The foundation scholarships are awarded each year to students whose parents are vineyard employees of winegrape growers.
“It’s an honor for the foundation to award these scholarships each year,” said JR Shannon, CWGGF’s chairman. “The scholarships not only help high school students achieve their career goals through a college education but also recognize our vineyard employees as valued members of our winegrape grower family.”
Montanez said obtaining a higher education is the least she can do for the sacrifices her parents made to provide for her. Her volunteer efforts at local, charitable events helped her understand the importance of community and the positive changes that can be accomplished for low-income families struggling on a daily basis.
“One of the reasons I wish to further my education is to come back to my community and continue to improve the lives of those who find themselves in need, through practicing medicine,” Montanez said.
Perez has known obstacles most of her life, from trying to learn English at a young age to being bullied for her appearance. But she also learned how to keep going from the love and support of her family. Perez’s goal is to be the first in her family to attend college. Following community college, she plans to transfer to a four-year college to obtain a degree in the medical field.
“I want a better future to pay my parents back for everything they gave me,” she said.
This year the foundation awarded 10 scholarships, more than in its previous 13 years. Each year the nine-member CWGGF Board selects seven recipients from high schools throughout the state. This year, a larger number of exceptional applications were received that fulfilled the selection requirements of scholastic ability, community involvement, leadership, a 500-word essay and financial need.
This year’s CWGGF scholarships provided three $8,000, four-year scholarships and two $4,000, four-year scholarships to any campus in the University of California or California State University systems. CWGGF also awarded four $2,000, two-year scholarships to any California community college. Additionally, the Robert N. Miller Scholarship of $1,000 was awarded to a Central Coast student who plans to major in viticulture and enology programs at Alan Hancock Community College or California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly).
