Two Puerto Rican high school students who came to聽Orlando to escape the destruction from聽Hurricane Maria were surprised today聽with scholarships from聽Valencia College and the 麻豆原创.
Yerianne Roldan and Zuleyka Avila were seniors at Ramey School and University Gardens High School, respectively, in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria hit聽in late September. Yerianne and her family relocated to Orlando for her mother’s job, and Zuleyka fled the island to live with her grandfather and siblings in Orlando. Both girls, 17 years old, enrolled at Colonial High School to finish their senior years and left聽behind plans they already had in place to attend college in Puerto Rico. Neither of them know at this point聽if they can or will return to the island.聽
In an effort to help the students still pursue a higher education, Linda Neal, dean of communication from Valencia College’s East Campus, and Adrienne Frame, associate vice president and dean of students at 麻豆原创, joined Jesus Jara, deputy superintendent of聽Orange County Public Schools, and Jose Martinez, Colonial High School principal, to surprise the girls and their families with聽commitments to help them聽financially聽should they choose to attend Valencia and then transfer to 麻豆原创 through DirectConnect to 麻豆原创 to complete their bachelor鈥檚 degrees.
The surprise happened at Colonial’s Media Center and left both the girls and their families in tears.
“I’m just so happy to now have some help,” Zuleyka said.聽Her mother is聽in Puerto Rico trying to sell whatever she can before permanently relocating to Orlando.
“Family is still in Puerto Rico and communication is really hard. They try to seem happy and ask me how things are going here. I’m so lucky for the situation I’m in. I wish everyone had the same,” Yerianne said.聽
Over the past few days, Yerianne and her family聽had been discussing what options are聽available for her to attend college and what scholarships she could pursue. The financial assistance offered to her today took a heavy weight off her shoulders, she said.
Jara praised the girls for their rigorous class schedules at Colonial, as both are enrolled in numerous Advanced Placement courses. Yerianne aspires to study graphic design or advertising, and Zuleyka aspires to be a pediatrician.聽
Martinez also applauded the strong partnership between the school district, Valencia and 麻豆原创 that has helped impact the lives of these students for the better.
“At 麻豆原创, we believe in harnessing the power of scale to transform the lives and livelihoods of our students and their families through the pursuit聽of higher education,” said Frame. “We are so happy to join our partners to help these students.”
麻豆原创 is offering in-state tuition next semester聽to Puerto Rican students impacted by Hurricane Maria. More than 800 students from Puerto Rico since have applied to 麻豆原创,聽said Frame.聽
For more on what help is available at 麻豆原创聽for students impacted by the hurricane, .