Coming from a family of 13 with 11 siblings is a challenge in itself.  Couple that with the hardship of her parents’ chronic disability and the economic difficulties that typically follow, and it becomes clear that Senior Estera Alasu has risen above her circumstances through sheer hard work and motivation.  Romanian by descent, Estera’s parents came to the United States before her birth to make a new life for their family.  Her mother’s serious illnesses and her father’s debilitating back injury have not deterred her.  “The struggles my family and I had to overcome never seemed like an obstacle to me, just a humbling experience,” she said.  Estera is a soup kitchen volunteer and has also been involved in community service planting trees. Estera’s English teacher believes she is on the cusp of real excellence.   Her goal is to graduate from college and pursue a career with constant human interaction, so that, as she says, “Maybe I can help change someone’s life.

School has served as a place of refuge for High Honors student Adelita Arredondo. “At school I was able to forget all my problems,” she said.   “Even though there were days where I felt I couldn’t go on,” Adelita remembers, “I went to school and worked as best I could.”  Her father’s serious health issues have created great stress for the family, but Adelita’s goals have remained constant.  Her guidance counselor stated that Adelita “maintains a clear sense of purpose and exhibits intellectual curiosity.” She represents a student not merely happy earning a grade; more importantly, she wants to learn. Adelita participates in dance and boxing and has received numerous awards, most notably a perfect attendance award for two years and the Pacifica Culinary Arts Award in 2008.  Adelita would like to attend a top university such as UCLA, USC or Harvard and has her heart set on becoming a pediatrician.

Before he was even born, Luis Arroyo’s father was diagnosed with stage five renal disease, a severe illness that causes the kidneys to fail. “My dad was constantly looking for a donor,” Luis said, until his older brother volunteered. Seventeen years later, Luis said he and his family consider his father’s second chance at life nothing short of a miracle. “I then realized why my dad pushed me so hard over the last few years. He always told me to do my best. I always knew that if I tried hard, I would be rewarded.” Besides growing up with both of his parents, Luis has also been rewarded with a 3.5 GPA and a burning desire to pursue the career of medicine. He considers himself lucky, calling his two siblings the second miracle in his life. “We live for each other, and we would be nothing without each other. What happened to my dad has made us stronger. We realize we are not on this earth forever, but as long as we have each other, we are untouchable.” Luis is currently on the honor roll and is a member of the swim team. His AVID teacher said that what makes Luis unique is his ability to stay “true to himself…when he hears of an opportunity, he seizes the offer with a handshake and a personal introduction.” She added that Luis has a “quiet confidence” about him, although “he is not shy in stating why he is different from most teens and how being different – true to himself – is what will allow him to achieve his university goals.” His English teacher concurred, stating that Luis comes from humble circumstances, and because of his father’s serious illness, Luis has had to step in and take over adult responsibilities. She added that he is “a caring and thoughtful young man who demonstrates all of the qualities of a Simon Scholar.” Luis has but one goal: “I want to show my dad I learned from him by getting as many awards, scholarships, and acknowledgements that I can,” he said. “I want him to know I didn’t take his words in vain but that I took them as guidelines to help shape me into what he wanted me to become, and that is someone with a future.” The Simon Family Foundation is pleased to watch Luis walk the pathway to success.

Being raised in a family of 5 with a single working mom, Abraham Benitez knows that the Simon Family Foundation Scholarship will enable him “to worry about the present and not the future.” He remembers as a child wanting to buy things in the store, and “when one is small, you don’t realize there isn’t enough money,” he said. Today he is well aware of that reality. With two younger sisters following behind him, Abraham wants to set the example by working hard to receive a college degree and then become a teacher. His Spanish teacher highly recommended him for the scholarship because he is hard working, determined and focused. She said, “Abraham believes in higher education and knows that with a university degree, he will succeed.” With a current GPA of 3.4 and a willingness to do whatever it takes, Abraham believes he will be able to provide a better life for his siblings. With the scholarship in hand, Abraham is well on his way.

Francisco Campos believes that everyone has potential, but not everyone is given the same opportunities. Being granted the Simon Family Foundation has been life-altering for him, because not only will he be the first member of his family to graduate high school, but he intends to graduate from college as well with a degree in criminal science. Born in Mexico, Francisco came to America when he was 2 years old. “My mom brought me here from our small village in Mexico,” he said, adding that he owes everything to her. “She is the hardest working person I know.” She works as a nursing assistant to support her four children, and Francisco’s family lives with 7 other extended family members. While space may be scarce, he still manages to maintain a 3.7 GPA. “Determination runs in my veins,” he said. “I have a passion for school to do the best that I can so that I can be admitted into the best college like Harvard, Stanford or Yale. Since I don’t have a dad, I try to teach my younger brothers to be hard working.” Francisco also believes in having fun, and he actively participates in the school soccer club. His French teacher said that Francisco has “great academic potential” as well as “a good understanding of how life and the world work. He was recently sharing with me how his mother sent him to Mexico over Christmas break to work as a laborer. The physical labor made him more aware of the opportunity that is given to him in the U.S. He does not take what he has for granted.” Francisco wants to overcome his shyness and is confident that the Simon Family Foundation can help. “As I watched the Simon Scholar video,” at the school assembly, he said, “I was hoping that it would help me be more open with people. I know that if I am chosen, I will fit right in. This scholarship is a great honor,” he said. “It fills me with great joy to know there are still good people out there like Mr. Ronald Simon and the Simon Family Foundation.”