Young
peace activists win scholarship
Atlanta,
GA (July 2006) -- Students Take Action for New
Directions (STAND) has chosen Ellie Gunderson
(of Southfield, MI) and Rosa Portugal
(of Oakland, CA) to receive the Fall 2006 Student
Activist Award. The award is based on community service
and demonstrated commitment to peace and justice,
and carries a $500 scholarship for college.
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Elizabeth
(Ellie) Gunderson recently graduated from Southfield-Lathrup
High School. She will attend Georgetown University
this fall, where she will major in Pre-Law and
Social Justice. Diversity issues are important
to her; she spent her high school years organizing
Youth Diversity Symposiums, working for the Youth
Dialogues on Race and Ethnicity, and creating
a program entitled “Exploring Diversity
for the Next Generation.” She has taken
leadership roles as her school’s representative
to the Southfield School Board, as student representative
to the Southfield Parent-Youth Guidance Commission,
as Vice President of her school’s Student
Congress, and as one of two Michigan delegates
selected to the U.S. Senate Youth Program in Washington,
D.C., where she met with her senators and discussed
policy issues with her peers. |
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Rosa
Portugal is from Oakland, CA and a star graduate
of the Upward Bound program. Throughout high school
she dedicated countless hours to working with
organizations dedicated to improving the quality
of life of Latinos in America. She serves as a
board member of Youth Grants for Youth Action.
As a sophomore at California State Polytechnic
University Pomona her dedication to civil and
human rights has not wavered. She continues to
advocate for immigrant rights by working with
PULS (People United for the Legalization of Students)
by mobilizing students to impact legislation.
Ms Portugal states, “I believe that all
civil rights issues are connected to human rights
issues and that the current state of our world
affects all human beings. This is why I cannot
fully commit myself to any one cause. I stand
for equality and peace … I will continue
to affiliate myself with creators of change.”
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“We’re
delighted to recognize Ellie and Rosa,” says
Jennifer Ortiz, Field Outreach Associate for STAND.
“Over the past few years they've managed to
be engaged in a number of efforts, all the while keeping
up their studies. They both have a lot of integrity,
along with intelligence and commitment.”
Winners
were selected by the STAND Scholarship Board, which
is composed of student activists from around the nation.
