Brenda Vazquez lives by the motto: “In youth, we learn; through age, we understand.” Those words remind her of her bitter childhood and memories that she can’t quite dismiss. Her parents divorced when she was 8 years old, and Brenda and her mother moved in with her grandparents and aunt and uncle. When her parents fought, Brenda felt paralyzed by fear. “The dim light in the hallway and being so small gave me the advantage of not being seen,” she recalls. Even today, Brenda believes she still hides who she truly is from the world. “I rarely go out with friends, join any clubs or do anything that will involve me with others,” she admitted. “The Simon Scholars Program made me realize how much I’ve missed out. It made me want to change.” Currently holding a 3.35 GPA, Brenda dreams of attending Boston University and studying psychology or sociology. “I want to raise my GPA even higher,” she said. “The (Simon Scholar) video is my inspiration for wanting to get involved. It inspires me to want to try and do things I’ve never dared to attempt.” Brenda would be the first in her family to attend college, and that motivates her. “I want to live my life knowing I took risks and that I was full of perseverance.” Brenda’s Chemistry teacher has watched her slowly come out of her shell in the classroom. “I have started to hear her voice and who she is,” he said. “First and foremost, she is a hard worker. It’s been a slow process, but she is now more willing to ask for help.” The Simon Family Foundation will certainly offer plenty of opportunities for Brenda to take risks, and will provide her with emotional and financial support in the process. “I want to find that part of me I lost long ago,” Brenda said. “My new goal in life is to better myself and find my true potential by getting more involved.” Welcome to the family, Brenda!

Miguel Velasco is a hardworking and dedicated Senior at El Camino High School with a GPA of 3.67. He is a student-athlete who plays on the ECHS Varsity Soccer Team. Miguel prides himself on his effective time management skills and finds it important to be a positive role model for both his younger brother and  his peers. At school he is looked up to for his tutoring skills as well as his ability to give advice to his friends. Miguel is the son of immigrant parents who each have only an elementary school education. He has overcome the influences of gang violence in his neighborhood to emerge as an extraordinary leader who stands apart from the crowd. In spite of their personal and financial struggles, Miguel’s family has always encouraged him to go to college. He hopes to be the first person in his family to earn a four-year degree. Miguel aspires to attend Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA to study business.

When John Velasco won the AVID “Student of the Year” Award in 2010, he recognized that he was onto something – the capacity to be an outstanding student. In the past, John has often experienced a lack of self-confidence, timidity, and shyness, to the point where he would often be afraid to speak out in class or ask for assistance. His older sister tried to help him with his studies, as his parents were limited in their education. Still, John considers the support offered by the Simon Family Foundation as invaluable. “I know I could really benefit from the life skills training offered,” he said, adding that he would be proud to wear the Simon Scholar logo. John’s interests lie in acting, music and cooking. He plans to continue his quest for excellence, and his current 3.6 GPA has him well on his way. John hopes to graduate from a 4-year UC university with a strong performing arts component, in order to pursue his passion for the guitar and bass. His AVID teacher said that John thrives within the bounds of structure and guidance. “His parents are neither high school nor college graduates,” she said, “so John’s role models for higher education are programs in which he willingly participates so that he can be the first college graduate in his family.” She went on to say that John is not only genuine and kind, but he has the biggest, brightest smile you’ll ever see. John endeavors to put into practice the life motto “keep trying because you never know when your chance will come.” The Simon Family Foundation is pleased to provide him with the opportunity to shine even more.