Colton Woman’s Club awards scholarships to high school sophomores April Nunez, Cinthya Cerrato

The 2020 HOBY Award Scholarship bestowed by the Colton Woman’s Club was awarded to sophomores April Nuñez of Colton High School and Cinthya Cerrato of Bloomington High School on Tuesday, January 14.

The esteemed HOBY Award Scholarship given out each year by the club pays for the students to attend the Hugh O’Brien Youth State Leadership Seminar, a three- to four-day conference focusing on leadership skills. This year the event will happen in June at Cal Poly Pomona with approximately 150 other students from around the country.

Applications for the award are taken by the school’s counseling office, and students must complete an essay discussing why the leadership conference would be beneficial to their future plans. Once the Colton Woman’s Club HOBY Committee picks the winners, the students and their families, along with their counselors and the County Superintendent of Schools Office is invited to the General Membership meeting for the award presentation. This year both students read their essays to those present.

Speaking words of encouragement about leadership to the students prior to presenting their certificates and scholarships, Colton Mayor Frank Navarro offered the two students leaders an inspirational quote, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader” (John Quincy Adams).

Tina Peterson from the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools shared a few words with the Colton Woman’s Club in appreciation of the yearly award and offered each of the students congratulations on their receipt of the prestigious awards.

The Colton Woman’s Club offers the HOBY Scholarship Award along with other scholarship opportunities through the Colton High School counseling office each year.