The Valley Community Legal Foundation is pleased to announce its 2018 award recipients. This year the VCLF dedicated $9,000.00 to deserving students in the San Fernando Valley who demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and community involvement.The deserving students and the corresponding honors are:

Elizabeth Lopez $3000 (Monroe High School) — “Student Excellence Award”

Oswaldo Cota $2000 (Monroe High School) – “Student of Distinction Award”

Allyza Quintanilla $1000 (Monroe High School) — “Stand-Out Student Award”

Maggie Boyle $750 (Monroe High School) – “VCLF Achievement Scholarship”

Francesco Giusseppe $750 (Monroe High School) — “VCLF Achievement Scholarship”

Medinat Sulaiman $750 (John Burroughs High School) — “VCLF Achievement Scholarship”

Evan A. Melito $750 (John Burroughs High School) — “VCLF Achievement Scholarship”

Our top scholarship recipient has an especially moving and remarkable background – as did all of the applicants. Ms. Lopez is a senior at Monroe High School Law and Government Magnet with a 4.152 GPA.  She will be attending Smith College in the fall.  She has overcome extraordinary hardship and economic insecurity as she continues to demonstrate remarkable academic success. She has excelled in numerous extracurricular activities, including: Speech and Debate, Moot Court, Mock Trials, Key Club, working with Meet Each Need with Dignity (providing indigent families with food and clothing); and serving on the Superintendent Student Advisory Council of LAUSD.  She aspires “to a career as an attorney, hoping to advocate for women who don’t feel strong enough to speak up for themselves when victimized by violence.”

2016-2017 Awardees:

All from James Monroe High: Valley Law Magnet School, 9229 Haskell Ave, North Hills, CA 91343
1) Angela Jimenez
2) Andrea Solis
3) Jenifer Ramos

2015-2016 Awardee

From University of West Los Angeles School of Law
1) Myrna Velasquez