Being raised in a family of 5 with only one working parent, Oscar Aguilar has always wondered what it would be like to have a successful life. His parents couldn’t afford to send his older siblings to college and that was when both of his parents worked and his younger siblings weren’t born yet. “Now that all five of us are here and my father faces the possibility of getting laid off, I see less of a chance of going to college.” That was before the Simon Family Foundation stepped in, however, awarding him a scholarship and providing him with genuine hope. When Oscar’s older brother joined the Marines, Oscar felt abandoned and lost interest for a time in his schooling and wrestling. “I felt like an outcast,” he said, “watching the news daily – hoping my brother hadn’t fallen on enemy soil.” Now that his brother has safely returned, Oscar realizes that the Marines provided his brother with an avenue to pursue his aspirations of going to college. “For this reason I want to be a Simon Scholar,” Oscar said. Interested in engineering and architecture, his Science instructor said that Oscar will succeed in whatever he chooses to do because he is humble, extremely likeable, “and has that one characteristic that people cannot learn – charisma.” His intelligence, a 4.0 GPA, and his inquisitive nature make him the perfect candidate for the Simon Family Foundation scholarship.

Ranking #1 out of a class of 707 students with a GPA of 4.75, Melissa Arambulo is on the fast track for fulfilling her dream of a college education.  With 10 siblings, she knows only too well the dangers of growing up in an area ridden with crime and gang violence.  Just last year, she lost a good friend who was shot down in front of his own home.  Melissa believes that growing up in this type of environment has only strengthened her resolve to help others.  “I need to help make a difference in the future,” she said.  Melissa is enrolled in Advanced Placement and Honors classes and is a member of MESA. She credits her church involvement as preventing her involvement in dangerous activities, and she trusts that the Simon Scholars Program will help open doors to a better future.  Melissa’s English teacher said, “She raises the bar in the classroom because of her intelligence. “ Her Math teacher concurred, describing Melissa’s work ethic as second to none.  “She is able to balance family obligations, sports and extracurricular activities without letting her academic work be affected.  This is a quality that any future leader needs.”

As a Senior at Santa Ana High School, Alexis Bernal has already overcome severe adversity in his life.  His strength in character has helped him rise above the influences of his poor, gang-infested neighborhood. Witnessing drug abuse on an almost daily basis, he has been able to avoid engaging in self-destructive behaviors.  But watching his father die from terminal cancer has been even more difficult for Alexis and his family.  This strong young man is determined to use any obstacle put in his path as a stepping stone to a brighter future.  “My personality has been made up of the past but has not been taken apart by it,” he said.  Alexis’ goals are to graduate among the top 5 in his class, become a National Merit Scholar and graduate from a top university such as Stanford or Yale to pursue a career as a doctor.  With a GPA of 4.8, Alexis knows that the sky is the limit for him.  His French teacher said of him, “In all my years of teaching, I have never met a more focused and heroic young man. His quiet, sincere and respectful personality should open the doors he deserves to have opened for him.”

A member of the Segerstrom Chamber Singers, Juan Calzada loves music. He hopes someday to use it in his professional career, either as a musician or in some way to enhance the lives of others. When he competed in Santa Ana’s Classical Art Song competition, he took first place. This gave him motivation to keep pursuing his goals, and it is motivation that he desperately needed because he believes that whatever success he enjoys in the future must come from within. Juan has had to face many challenges beginning early in his life. “When I was 7 years old, my best friend, my dog, died in front of my eyes. When I was 10 years old, I found out the man I had thought was my father wasn’t,” he said. “Ever since then, I’ve been worried about who I can trust.” A victim of child abuse and removed from his parents’ home, Juan lives with his grandmother and uncle. He works hard in school, maintaining a 3.6 GPA, because he knows that all of his goals will be fulfilled with a good education. “My major goal in life is to be a doctor,” he said. “I want to practice and train in the medical field so that I can help people who really need it. My secondary goal is to become a musician. I have been in choir and honor choir since I was in 4th grade. The Simon Scholarship will help me reach my goal.” Juan’s Vocal Music Director agrees. “Juan is an ideal candidate for the Simon Scholarship,” he said. “He has an excitement for learning that makes him a delight to work with. He serves as a mentor and tutor for students who are struggling to raise their proficiency scores.” His Honors Chemistry teacher said that Juan exhibits many “leadership qualities that will make him an exceptional student at the college level.” Having a new family of Scholars to provide him with love and support means the world to Juan. In becoming a Simon Scholar, he feels that he has “become part of something big. Being given the chance to meet people who have the same goals, having friends who will support me, and being part of a real family has changed my life,” and definitely for the better. The Simon Family Foundation believes in Juan and looks forward to watching him shine.

Brenda Carmona's parents came to the U.S. from Mexico in 1987 to give their children a better life. While in Mexico, they suffered the loss of two of their children, ages 15 and 13, who were shot and killed trying to defend their home during a robbery. Brenda never knew her older brothers, as she had not yet been born, but she understands extremely well the sadness that her family has felt, because she sees it in their faces daily. After arriving in the States, Brenda's parents "would wake up early every morning to pick up cans and newspapers so they could sell them for money." Her older brother and sister later dropped out of high school, which was a huge disappointment to her parents, "especially my dad," said Brenda, "who worked all day at Taco Bell, riding there on his bike because he didn't have a car." Her father later enrolled in ROP and became a licensed refrigeration technician, subsequently starting his own business. Such determination also runs through Brenda's veins. "I am my parents' only hope," she said, "and I will be the first one graduating high school. I want my parents to be proud of me – I have goals in life, and my #1 goal is to become a veterinarian. I really want to go to Davis University – that's my dream. With the (Simon Family Foundation) scholarship, I know I will accomplish it." Brenda currently maintains a GPA of 4.0. Her Spanish teacher said that Brenda is "a student of outstanding character," describing her as "bright, determined, and a genuinely good person." Her Earth Science teacher concurred stating that Brenda is a "positive, friendly young lady who is serious about her studies. She always makes a scholarly effort and is never satisfied with mediocre results." Brenda is convinced that remaining positive is the key. With the financial and emotional support the Simon Family Foundation provides, she knows she will succeed.