The United Amigos club at Huntington High School presented six seniors with scholarships during this year’s senior academic awards night.
Club faculty advisor Rosario Lorenzana presented $250 scholarships to Kevin Flores Reyes, who is headed to Suffolk Community College and to Carlos Giron Hernandez, who will be attending Nassau Community College.
Scholarships in the amount of $100 each were presented to Jenny Benitez-Villatoro, Ilsi Martinez Euceda and Madelyn Morales Garcia. All three teenagers plan to continue their studies at Suffolk Community College. A $25 award was garnered by Laura Flores Velasquez, who also plans to pursue studies at Suffolk Community College.
Five years ago, Ms. Lorenzana began gathering students after school who needed tutoring and English language support. Word spread quickly to other students and it became known that the teacher’s classroom was a place not only for science and language review, but other support, including understanding American culture and navigating a big high school. What evolved was a small community that became a second home for many students. Soon the group began to grow. Realizing the needs of the students reached beyond academics and language, Ms. Lorenzana organized the United Amigos club at the high school.
United Amigos meets once a week for general academic and language support and to plan and execute various community service initiatives. For example, club members gather winter coats and food for local pantries several times a year. They participate in the Safe Halloween program for elementary school children at the high school and play a role in dances on Valentine’s Day and Cinco de Mayo.