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18 Graduating Seniors Receive Realtor Foundation Scholarship Awards


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Monday, June 11, 2007

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average student loan debt for a bachelor's degree student is $19,300, which makes it imperative for communities to help all students move forward with college enrollment and the completion of a college degree. Committed to the communities in which they live and work, Realtors each year give back to their communities in an effort to make high potential students aware of the tremendous opportunities and challenges that can await them.

This year, the Silicon Valley Realtors Charitable Foundation, the charitable arm of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, presented scholarship awards to 18 graduating seniors from public high schools in Silicon Valley. Each student received a $1,000 scholarship.
 
The Realtor scholarship program, now on its eighth year, recognizes students who have exemplified outstanding achievements in academics, extracurricular/employment activities and community involvement. The selection committee included representatives from the local business community, area high schools, area colleges and the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors.
 
Students who received scholarships from the Foundation, the schools from which they graduated, and the colleges and universities they will be attending are: Philip Chang, Cupertino High School (UC San Diego); Kenneth Finnegan, Fremont High School (UC Davis); Vijay Prabhakar, Gunn High School (Duke University); Chelsea Wong, Homestead High School (UC San Diego); Melissa Solin, Leigh High School (UC Berkeley); Natthawut Wongsrikasem, Los Altos High School (UC Davis); Rachel Holland, Los Gatos High School (Brigham Young University); Tanya Gupta, Lynbrook  High School (UC San Diego); Abigail Morin, Menlo Park Atherton High School (UC Santa Barbara); Lisa Merkhofer, Monta Vista High School (Williams College); Ariana Promessi, Mountain View High School (UC Berkeley); Paula Yoffe, Palo Alto High School (UC Berkeley); Simon Williams, Palo Alto High School (UC Berkeley); Linda Oseso, Santa Clara High School (UC Berkeley); Jason Nguyen, Saratoga High School (UC Berkeley); Matthew Lee, Westmont High School (Art Center College of Design); Reanne Gopez, Woodside High School (San Jose State); and Kristen Lee, Prospect High School (UC Berkeley).
 
"In our industry, we feel fortunate to be able to give back to the community and our local scholars through our scholarship program," said Cindy Luedtke, chair of the Silicon Valley Realtors Charitable Foundation. "By providing scholarships to very deserving individuals, the members of our association feel that we can help local students grow, succeed and achieve their dreams."

"We are happy we are able to assist the deserving winners in beginning their college careers," said SILVAR Scholarship Chair Nina Yamaguchi. "The nominees for the SILVAR Scholarship Program are always among the cream of the crop. This year was no exception."
 
Representatives of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors attended senior award ceremonies at the various high schools and personally presented the scholarships to the deserving students. They also thanked the teachers and staff in each high school for their help and participation in making this program the success that it is.

On Friday, May 25, recognizing her academic achievements and outstanding community involvement, Silicon Valley Association of Realtors President Mark Burns presented a $1,000 SILVAR Charitable Foundation scholarship award to Lynbrook High School senior Tanya Gupta. Gupta will be attending UC San Diego next fall.

"I want to thank the teachers and staff of Lynbrook High School for their help and participation in making this program the success that it is," said Burns, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Cupertino. "The scholarship program is a partnership effort between the Silicon Valley Realtors Charitable Foundation and the wonderful educators in our service areas."

Other Realtors who presented the scholarship awards were Chris Alston (Keller Williams, Cupertino), David Hunt (Coldwell Banker, Cupertino), Toby Vanderbeek (Intero Real Estate Services, Los Altos), Doug Larson (Coldwell Banker, Cupertino), Raylene Khan (Sereno Group, Los Gatos), Susan Sweeley (Alain Pinel Realtors, Los Altos), Dennis Byron (Byron & Associates, Los Gatos), Mary Tan (Coldwell Banker, Cupertino), Cristina Page (Cashin Company, Palo Alto), Steve Peters (Alain Pinel, Saratoga), Bill Gorman (Coldwell Banker, Saratoga), Amir Shahkarami (Coldwell Banker, Cupertino) and Russell Morris (Coldwell Banker, Los Gatos).
 
The scholarship program is a partnership effort between the Silicon Valley Realtors foundation and the educators in the Realtor group's service areas. Scholarship recipients are selected from the high schools in the communities served by the more than 4,000 members of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors.
 


The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

For further information, please contact Rose Meily at SILVAR Public Affairs, email , or phone (408) 200-0109.

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