$150K in Scholarships awarded by the Coral Gables Community Foundation via ZOOM in the age of the Pandemic

Education is a top priority in Coral Gables, as proven by the recent investment made by the Coral Gables Community Foundation and the scholarship funds it manages. The Foundation and its Fundholders recently awarded $150,000 in scholarships, bringing the organization’s investment in local students more than $700,000 in just the past few years. Given the current limitations to gathering in groups, the Foundation announced its slate of scholarship winners via a ZOOM call that went viral.

This year, the Foundation awarded 40 scholarships from its various scholarship programs: the Coral Gables Community Foundation’s Four-Year $10,000 Scholarship, Four-Year $5,000 Scholarship, Merit Scholarship and Culinary Arts Scholarship; the Islands of Cocoplum Scholarship; Dave Ragan Jr. Memorial Scholarship; Ralph V. Moore Scholarship for Cavalier Excellence; Lady Suzanna P. Tweed Scholarship; Garcia Perseverance Scholarship; Coral Gables Bar Association Scholarship in memory of Ervin Gonzalez and the Kerdyk Music Scholarship.

“Each year, the Coral Gables Community Foundation has the privilege of honoring students who have excelled academically and shown outstanding service to their community,” said Laura Russo, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. “We’re thrilled to be able to give more and more each year to these students who are our community’s future.”

This year’s scholarship recipients are:  Four-Year Scholarship Fund at the Coral Gables Community Foundation – Adriana Ramirez, August Field, Daniel Toll, Lia Sanchez-Ramirez, Manuel Nunez, Jesse Zambrano, Camila Ramirez, Sophia Martinez, Thomas Morcillo, Alexander Yagoda, Richard Smithies, Christopher Brazda, Maria Cardona, Ava Lederman, William Fay, Kiara Alvarez; Garcia Perseverance Scholarship Fund -Rebecca Fernandez, Lili Wade, Rolando Angulo, Winkler Michel, Sara De La Cruz; Lady Suzanna Tweed Scholarship – Ellie Morris; Ralph V. Moore Scholarship for Cavalier Excellence – Rodney Michel; Culinary Arts Scholarship – Pedro Benitez; Coral Gables Bar Association Scholarship – Ashanti Gibson, Logan Lorie, Luis Gonzalez, Na’kiaya Lane, Ivette Recio; Kerdyk Music Scholarship – Yazmin Quevedo, Kyle Bramson, Paul Zavaliy; Dave Ragan Memorial Scholarship – Sofia Alfonso; Islands of Cocoplum Scholarship – Ketty Dones, Janelle Lora, Estelle Erwich, Sophia Martinez, Maria Cardona and Richard Smithies.

“The generosity of our fund holders, donors and supporters has allowed us to invest nearly a million dollars in our community’s education over the last five years” said Matthew Meehan, Scholarship Committee Chair and Foundation Board Member. “Together, we’re able to give back in these impactful ways, which adds to the footprint of the Foundation and enhances the quality of life in Coral Gables.”

About The Coral Gables Community Foundation Led by community leaders, the Coral Gables Community Foundation works to improve the quality of life for those who live, work, learn and play in the City Beautiful. For almost 30 years, the Foundation has been at the forefront of the evolving needs of Coral Gables by effectively bringing together beneficiaries and benefactors to fund programs with the greatest impact and benefit to “The City Beautiful.” For more information, please visit gablesfoundation.org.

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