Michelle Aleman wants to turn a regular smile into a "Hollywood smile." Her career objective is to graduate from a four-year university like UCI or Chapman and pursue a career in dentistry. Michelle comes from a family of 5 who immigrated to the United States from Ecuador. She freely concedes that "I might not be rich, but what makes a person admirable is the value of their soul and personality." Michelle wants a chance to demonstrate her value in more ways than one. "If we all make a move, we can make a tremendous change for the benefit of our community – maybe even our country," she said. In order to lead by example, Michelle is involved with Project Say, a group of young people that focuses on learning leadership skills. Her shyness has been a problem in the past, but Michelle is working hard to overcome it. An Honor Roll student and AVID student of the year, Michelle's GPA of 5.0 is amazing and well deserved. Her Spanish teacher says that Michelle is a focused, hard-working student. "The high grade she is getting in my class is not only reflective of her academic achievement but also her personal character."

When she was young, Michelle recalls suffering many scrapes and spills while riding her bike – but she always got right back on. Eventually, she became a competent bicyclist. Michelle has maintained this attitude of perseverance through the years, despite facing the economic challenges of having a single mother who has had to work two jobs to support the family of three. Michelle wants to "silence the voices of those that tell her there's no point." Michelle has her sights set on graduating from UCI or UCLA with a degree in Law or Early Childhood Education. "I am no ordinary student who wants to go to college," she said. "I want to overcome adversities so that I can be a proud person." Michelle has already earned the Perfect Attendance Award, the Gold Award for achieving a 4.6 GPA, the Honor Roll, and the Presidential Award. Her English teacher recalled a poem Michelle wrote in which she compared herself to one starving for learning and desiring a seat at the banquet called "college". Lack of finances won't stand in her way – Michelle has the ambition, focus and intellect to guarantee her a seat as a Simon Scholar.

Eduardo Brito describes his life thus far as somewhat like a movie. “There’s been comedy, horror, drama and tragedy,” he said, adding “mostly tragedy.” His parents separated when he was 7 years old, and his father moved with a new family to Wisconsin. On the other hand, “My mom was always there for us,” Eduardo said. “She always hugged us, gave us a goodbye kiss when she dropped us off, and never complained about anything.” That is, until a turning point took place on December 2nd, 2008. “That was the day my mom was deported,” Eduardo said, “and my sisters and I were left alone.” Eduardo currently lives in a small apartment with his three sisters, ages 19, 18 and 17. He maintains a 3.6 GPA and wants to graduate college with a degree in architectural engineering. “The Simon Scholarship is an extraordinary opportunity for me” he said, “because with it, I would be one of the first in my family to go to college.” A member of the Junior ROTC, Eduardo is committed to overcoming any obstacle that would keep him from reaching his goal. His English teacher said that Eduardo’s “work ethic and demeanor are incomparable with any previous student I have ever had. The story of his life has been challenging, and he has risen above each circumstance.” He added that the Simon Family Foundation scholarship will assure that Eduardo’s story has a happy and fulfilling end, like many great movies.

Describing herself as “responsible and outgoing,” Tania Carrillo lives with her single mom and her 4-year-old twin sisters. Her parents separated and divorced when Tania was 11, and since then, Tania has gained a 2-year-old half-brother with Down’s Syndrome. “My parents’ separation affected me,” Tania admitted, “but I didn’t like to show it. I would always hide my sadness and put on a smile.” Financial problems continue to plague her family, since Tania’s mother works only part-time in child care. But, while money may be scarce, Tania said her mother consistently supports her emotionally – “she gives me strength to reach my goals and believes in me.” Tania, in turn, helps out with the care of her twin sisters, which can be a real challenge since “they both want things at the same time.” This responsibility at such an early age has led to Tania excelling as a natural leader, according to her Chemistry teacher. “She is a role model for enthusiasm and maturity,” her teacher said. “She has approached me with great aspirations, and I cannot help but want other students to be like her.” Currently, Tania serves on the ASB and plays on the tennis team. With a GPA of 3.2, Tania’s goal is to graduate college and become a Counselor. “I want to help other people,” she said, in a way that will affect their lives for the better. “I love to think positively,” Tania said, and those who know her agree that her potential knows no bounds. Tania described the Simon Family Foundation as “my key to success.”

Wanting to be an example and guide to his two younger brothers, Pablo Cruz knows that education is the key. When he was in 3rd grade, he was challenged to learn a new language, English, and, at first, it was quite intimidating. But Pablo persevered. “I did very poorly on tests and during class time,” he recalled. Recognizing that he must master the language to succeed in school, Pablo asked for help from his teachers. “I took the challenge,” he said. “Every night I would read books, look through the dictionary for words I didn’t comprehend, and arrive at school early to ask my teacher for different techniques on improving my English.” His personal success has led Pablo to becoming an honors student with a GPA of 3.7. He aspires to attending and graduating from a 4-year university and becoming involved in the criminal justice system, perhaps as an FBI agent. He is currently a member of BROS, a school group that empowers Latinos and encourages them to attend college. Having been named a Simon Scholar, Pablo is aware that his life has forever changed dramatically. “I’m going to be more well-rounded,” he said. “Being around the same people with similar goals will be great.” His Honors World History teacher said that Pablo has many untapped skills within him. “He has the potential to be something big, both academically and socially.” With the backing of the Simon Family Foundation, his journey has just begun.