Eight Orange County middle school students recently earned the title of Angels 8th grade AVID Scholars by the Angels Baseball Foundation for their achievements in the AVID program.
The Los Angeles Angels organization celebrated the class of 2023’s standout scholars with a special pre-game ceremony held at Angels Stadium on May 24. Since 2006, the Angels Baseball Foundation has partnered with the Orange County Department of Education and the Advancement Via Individual Determination program to sponsor a total of 121 student scholarships.
AVID is a college readiness program that’s designed to help increase students’ learning and performance through weekly elective courses that prepare them for higher education. Its mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society.
This year, the Angels 8th Grade AVID Scholarship program awarded each class of 2027 scholar recipient with a $10,000 college scholarship, a customized Angels jersey and a laptop.
Every spring, eighth-grade students throughout the county are chosen by their middle schools for exemplifying the AVID program through their academic performance and community contributions. To be selected for the scholarship, students must submit an essay, a teacher recommendation and a summary of their academic and community accomplishments.
Angels owner Arte Moreno and Chairman Dennis Kuhl were joined by OCDE representatives including AVID Coordinator Dr. Denise Harshman; Curriculum, Instruction and Academic Enrichment Director Dr. Jonathan Swanson; and Humanities Administrator Trish Walsh, as they congratulated each scholar on the field.
“The generosity of the Angels Baseball Foundation over the past 17 years has changed the trajectory of our students’ lives,” Harshman said. “The students have not only been awarded scholarships, but they have become part of the Angels Baseball family.”
Approximately 49 scholars from previous classes of the Angels scholarship program also attended the event, including Orange County-based seniors Nellie Nguyen from Westminster High School, Mazen Nematalla from Ocean View High School, Hannah Karanick from Sage Oak Charter School in Redlands, Alexis Gonzalez from Savanna High School, Alondra Piñon from Godinez Fundamental High School and Haley Gavino from the Orme School in Arizona.
Graduating high school seniors who were among the class of 2019 honorees will receive their $10,000 scholarships from the Angels Baseball Foundation once they attend college in the fall.
Below are the eight students who earned the distinction as 2023 Angels 8th Grade AVID Scholars:
- Aisleen Avalos, TeWinkle Middle School, Newport-Mesa Unified School District
- Jaylene Cervantes, Esqueda Elementary School, Santa Ana Unified School District
- Marlene Garcia Velasquez, South Junior High School, Anaheim Union High School District
- Walter Martinez, Nicolas Junior High School, Fullerton School District
- Arleny Moreno Garcia, Valadez Middle School Academy, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
- Emma Nelson, Vista Del Mar K-8 School, Capistrano Unified School District
- Mianna Thoma, Bell Intermediate School, Garden Grove Unified School District
- Yanely Vargas, Orangeview Junior High School, Anaheim Union High School District