Student Quotes
“Everyone who has received this award struggled and fought to do something good. I know many of the recipients personally and being alongside them receiving the award shows me that we may have obstacles in our lives but we never allowed that to turn us into victims. We try and work hard for what we want and seeing that there are people who wish to reward that gives me much comfort.” - Joseph Goltsev 2006
“The money I receive from the scholarship has helped me a lot. I have been able to pay the registration fees for both quarters and the high cost of books. Thank you. Knowing that I have a scholarship has taken a load off my mind and has let me concentrate more on my studies. I know students who are struggling to pay for their education and I would hate to be in their situation. I am very grateful to you for helping me continue my education.” - Hilda Perez 2001
“I learned three things the night of the scholarship dinner; success is possible even if it seems impossible, that there are actually people out there who are giving scholarships to students and it’s not always political but actually about the students and finally, I learned how important it is to give back to your community when you can.” - Monica Searcy 2003
“My father abandoned my family when I was only six years old. Since then my mother has taken the difficult task of raising three children without any help. It has been a difficult road with minimum paying jobs and financial hardships. I learned that nothing in life is given easily. I must work hard and be determined for what I want in order to get it.”
- Rosibel Hernandez 2006
“This scholarship showed me that there are people out there who care about me as a person and decided to take the initiative to give me aid in making my dreams come true. It let me know that someone wanted me to succeed in this world and become successful.” - Cetin Dik 2007
“Although I didn’t get to meet everyone that helped make this scholarship possible I would like to thank each and every one of you for making this scholarship possible and I want you to know that it will be making a big difference and impact in my life.” - Rosalia Lee 2005
“I like to think that failure is the best thing that can happen to you sometimes. You allow yourself to take a look at the situation and learn from it. My life has been filled with situations I had to work very hard to overcome, but they are the ones I now appreciate the most.- Raquela Seber 2003
“The award ceremony is an integral part of the scholarship because it showed me that there are other individuals that have overcome obstacles to become an active member in society. To see other students from my school who have overcome obstacles go one to college and be successful, provides me with the motivation needed to attend a four year university.” - Danny Wudka 2006
“We all have a passion, an art form that we eat, drink and breathe. Everybody has a dream. The real question is whether or not we will embrace our drive to work hard, whether we will push ourselves to succeed, whether we will muster the effort to get up and chase our dreams.” - Kristopher Williams 2007
“Although I have faced many obstacles in my life which may have thwarted my ability to achieve my maximum potential, I do not consider any of them genuine reasons for preventing me from working my hardest or reaching my highest goals. The only thing that has ever stopped me from being the best person I can be is myself.”
- Hayley Dorfman 2004
“Words are not enough to describe what the Friedman & Friends Education Fund event meant to me. First of all I want to be honest and say that I went to the event expecting to get nothing more than an envelope with money and maybe a word or two of advice. Instead I obtained unforgettable memories, invaluable words of advice and a sense of satisfaction I had not felt in a long time.” - Glenda Guzman 2007
Do I pay for food or pay the rent? This is the type of question that I don’t ever want to make in my life. The way I can make sure I never have to is by attending and graduating college.”
- Jose Castro 2008
“Some obstacles that I have faced that have prevented me from achieving my maximum potential were the death of my father and the absence of my mother due to drug abuse. While my mother was in rehabilitation I lived with my aunt and uncle, where I helped take care of my five younger siblings. This was a very difficult time in my life, I know people blame others for their misfortunes, but I feel it is up to each individual to make things right in their own life. As I look back this has made me stronger because I will use the tragedies in my life to strengthen my will to achieve my goals.” - Virginia Hernandez 2003
Once my parents left we never had enough food to eat or money to buy things we needed. One night as I was doing homework, my little sister woke up and came to me saying she was hungry. When I told her we had no leftovers she began to cry. I couldn’t do anything for her and I felt so helpless just watching her cry. The night I saw her crying changed my life forever. It was the moment I realized I had to grow up because I had two older sisters to help and a younger one to take care of. My life is not perfect, but I am thankful for every hardship I have and will encounter because it has made me the person I am today.” - Kristina Ignacio 2008
“When I think the in between, I am glad it about my life and what happened, the good, the bad and happened the way it did and I wouldn’t change anything. It has made me who I am and I am finally proud of myself. Yes I do have dyslexia; yes I am an immigrant but it has not defined me. I have worked so hard to get here and I do not plan to stop.” - Yessica Perez 2007
“I cannot express how much this award means to me, I feel empowered to take this opportunity and fulfill my dreams. Although I am uncertain as to what career I will go into, I do know that with the opportunity you have given me I will strive to find who I am and what I can become.”
- Kevin Wu 2005
“As teens, we come across violence, drugs, mental abuse and peer pressure on a daily basis. To get over these hurdles, one must turn to something of importance to allocate their time with. I choose sports because it keeps me physically and mentally in shape, out of the streets and away from drugs.” - Shanon Blakely 2004
“I want to go to college because I have seen what happens to people who do not go. My mom did not get the chance to go to college because she got pregnant with me when she was just 18 years old. She had to go out and get a job working at Sav-On, where she stills works today. I have seen how she struggles to pay rent and tries to decide which bills she can put off for another month. Going to college will give me the opportunity my mom never had. Getting a college degree will enable me to do what I want with my life.” - Erica Aviles 2003
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