When Anibal Lara was only 9 months old, his father passed away, leaving him and his mother without a home. “Everywhere my mom went, people turned her down,” he said. “Yet, I wake up every day, stare at her, and wonder how she did it.” Viewing school as a welcome respite from daily problems, Anibal has truly excelled. He currently maintains a 3.4 GPA and is involved in numerous extracurricular activities, such as BROS, cross country, and track and field. Financial difficulties have persisted, but so has Anibal. He wants to pursue a degree in law at Stanford and become the first member of his family to graduate from a prestigious university. “I consider myself a motivated worker,” he said. “Whenever I set my mind to something, I never give up. I always give 100% effort.” His coach and P.E. teacher concurs. “Anibal is highly reliable and incredibly loyal,” he said. “His integrity is of the highest quality. He is respectful and a wonderful person to be around.” Anibal is looking forward to the Simon Family Foundation scholarship as a vehicle to help him grow as a person, particularly in the area of communication. His main motivation is to be able to assist his mom in the future. “I don’t want her to ever fear again. In 10 years, I see myself out of our apartment, living in a house – without worries.” He wants to give back to the community and learn to “savor the moment,” because, he added, “You never know when something will happen and life changes instantly.”

When she was 5 years old, Alma Rizo couldn’t wait to go to kindergarten. The desire to excel in school has not wavered through the years, and she now finds herself with a 3.7 GPA while taking Honors and Advanced Placement courses. She is proud of achieving in spite of her family’s struggles – a brother with Cerebral Palsy, the divorce of her parents, her father’s addiction to drugs and alcohol, his later jail sentence, her mother’s remarriage, and, finally, adapting to life in a blended family. “It is really hard to stay focused when living in a petite one-bedroom apartment,” Alma admitted. “I strive to complete my school work and wake up early at 4:00 a.m. when everyone is sound asleep so I can concentrate without any distractions.” Alma’s motivation is her strong desire to attend college at UCLA and become an architect. “I want to start my own business and begin the blueprints of my dream home,” she said. Her AP European History teacher said that part of what makes Alma an “ideal student” is her approach to her studies along with “an optimal blend of personal enthusiasm, dedication and analytical rigor. She will surely tackle whatever tasks are thrown her way with equal, if not greater, verve and diligence.” Alma wants to set an example for her younger siblings and show them that “no matter what life may throw at you, you still have the ability to overcome obstacles and become someone in life.” The Simon Family Foundation looks forward to watching her shine.