Osbaldo Aguilar attributes early behavioral problems in his life to being shuttled back and forth between his mom and dad’s homes. “When I was 8 years old, I gained a stepmom,” Osbaldo said, which subsequently added to his indecision about which person in his life was truly his mom. An ensuing custody battle and constant changes in environment led to Osbaldo acting out in destructive ways. After being placed in special education, counselors taught Osbaldo to learn how to express his feelings constructively, especially in the school environment. Since then, Osbaldo has never looked back. “Seeing the outcome of my decisions has taught me to be able to laugh at myself,” or to recognize “when to stop and take things slow, to think them through.” With a 3.6 GPA, Osbaldo has set his sights on becoming a cardiologist. Being named a Simon Scholar will enable him to polish his communication and leadership skills. Having already spent more than 400 hours volunteering at Del Rio Elementary School, Osbaldo is committed to giving back to his community. The supervising teacher at Del Rio said that Osbaldo “is a natural leader” with the small children that he assists. His AVID teacher said that Osbaldo has “incredible resilience and determination. He is truly an example of someone who has faced an obstacle and overcome it – and he has done so with his head held high. He speaks with wisdom and clarity about what he has been through and addresses his future with commitment and resolve.”

Claudia Ahumada is a Senior at El Camino High School, maintaining an impressive 3.5 GPA. She participates in various activities at her school, including Key Club, Sophomore Class Council, and the Humans for Society Club. She is very involved with her church, attending services every Sunday and participating in the Youth Group. Claudia also sings soprano in the award-winning El Camino High School Choir. She has accomplished all of this, in spite of having extra responsibilities and financial challenges resulting from her father serious medical issues. This very ambitious young lady aspires to graduating high school with honors and being the first in her family to attend a four-year university. Claudia dream is to become a lawyer, helping people in need and representing their cases in front of a jury.

Ana Aragon believes in capturing the moment. She already has regrets in her young life, wishing she had spent more time with her chronically-ill grandmother before she passed away in 2008. It taught her a valuable lesson – “Whether we are here tomorrow or not is unknown…what we do know is that we are here now and at this moment.” Ana plans to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way in the future. Enrolled in Asian Club, the National Honor Society and Junior Civitan, she also volunteers with the El Corazon Senior Center and in cemetery clean up. Her academic achievements are impressive – she has already earned recognition for holding a 4.0 or higher for the past 4 years and is currently #1 in her class of 640 students. She is described by her AP Comparative Government teacher as being “valuable to our school by way of her integrity, solid work ethic and willingness to be true to herself.” Ana looks forward to attending a 4-year university and majoring in Math. She plans to pursue a career in accounting or electrical engineering. “My main short term goals are to help the community as much as possible, maintain my GPA, and, most importantly, take a bundle of roses to my grandmother’s grave,” she said. “Death, hardship, and happiness are all inevitable. They are a part of us; they help us become stronger and realize things we neglected or chose not to see.”

A member of the Girard Prep Program for college-bound students, David Ayala already knows where he wants to go. “I am on a journey toward my long-term goals, and I will achieve them at any cost,” he said confidently. With CST scores that placed him in the “top 20” district-wide in math and currently maintaining a 3.5 GPA, David aspires to attend USC to study in the engineering field. “Since 8th grade, I have wanted to be an engineer,” he said, even though this has sometimes required him to pass up trips to amusement parks or band competitions. Working hard on his #1 priority, David enrolled in MESA, where his team won 3rd place in a state-wide competition. In 9th grade, he enrolled in pre-engineering and design and was awarded 3rd place for toy design at the Del Mar Fair. He has also received numerous citizenship, honor roll, and science awards. After his parents’ divorce, he and his father, aunt and cousins, who make up a family of 6, moved in together, and they continue to “struggle against the economy.” David’s father is a Mexican immigrant who works as a translator with the Oceanside USD. His former AP World History teacher said of David that “despite the hardships of his family life, he has not lost sight of his goals. He truly wants to achieve to help bring stability to his struggling family.” His Math teacher concurred, saying, “I have used David as an example to my students of what determination, listening, and perseverance are all about.” The Simon Family Foundation looks forward to assisting David in reaching his goals.

Vanesa Bedolla wants to break what she considers “the stereotype that Hispanics can’t get anywhere in life or become somebody,” and she is grateful that the Simon Family Foundation Scholarship will provide her with the necessary tools and a safety net to catch her if she falls. “I feel like I have to rely on myself,” she said, and having fellow Scholars to support her will certainly be a huge plus. “I feel pressure and responsibility to show my brother and sister that we can all succeed,” she added. “I want to be the example my parents weren’t able to be for my siblings.” Vanesa receives emotional support from her parents, both of whom received only rudimentary education, and she is very appreciative of what the Simon Scholars Program can offer. Because her parents immigrated here to make a better life for their family, Vanesa feels that “if I don’t make something out of my life, my parents would have given up practically everything for nothing.” With a GPA of 3.4, Vanesa hopes to become a veterinary technician. Her Chemistry teacher said that Vanesa is serious about her academic achievement. “She can be counted on to ask thoughtful, clarifying questions that benefit all and she is always a positive contributor to the classroom environment.” Her Math teacher describes Vanesa as “one of the finest students he has met in his entire career. The quality of her thinking and reasoning continually amaze me – sometimes I stand and listen with my mouth open in wonder at the things she sees and the clarity and depth at which she understands.” He went on to say that Vanesa “impacts every place, person or situation for the better.”