09/12/07 Latino Scholarship

Latino Scholarship. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. The Washington Apple Education Foundation is known for giving out scholarships to many students throughout the year thanks to members of the apple industry. But each year they award a special scholarship to a member of the Latino working community. WAEF Executive Director, Jennifer Witherbee explains. WITHERBEE: This is a special scholarship, different from our other scholarships that in addition to the financial award, the student is receiving support from the Washington Apple Education Foundation with his school work and also introductions in the industry. This year's recipient of the Latino Industry Member Mentorship scholarship is Rodrigo Herrera of Wenatchee. He is an employee of Stemilt Growers and will start his college education next week at Wenatchee Valley College. Witherbee says the assistance helps the working student. WITHERBEE: The folks that we have receiving this award are adult students and sometimes non-traditional students and so what we are offering to them is that we will help with school work. If it's a certain class they're struggling with or even a class project within a class that we can provide some support to them so that they are more successful at college. Mr. Herrera will receive $35-hundred dollars per year for school and will remain employed full time. Part of the scholarship is also helping the student network with other industry people. WITHERBEE: The introductions are  we'll take the input from him about what he thinks his future career could look like and then help make those introductions. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.