Alex O Santillanes Scholarship Grant

The Alex O. Santillanes Scholarship, administered by the Community Foundation of NCW, honors the legacy of Alex O. Santillanes, a dedicated youth advocate in the Yakima Valley. This scholarship supports Hispanic high school seniors from the region pursuing higher education in Washington. Eligible applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and demonstrate resilience against social and economic inequities, particularly those from single-parent families. The scholarship aims to empower the next generation of leaders.

Alex O. Santillanes touched and saved the lives of many by working tirelessly to create a positive future for the youth of the Yakima Valley. His endeavors included gang outreach, acting as a student guidance counselor, community organizer for Yakima County Substance Abuse Coalition, and student retention specialist at A.C. Davis High School. His biggest accomplishment was establishing a local chapter of Barrios Unidos in the Yakima Valley. The group collaborated with gang leaders to declare Barrios Unidos a neutral, safe zone for the youth and provide assistance to gang members who wanted to leave a gang. In addition to mentoring students, he empowered parents with information on how to keep their children out of gangs. This scholarship was originally established as the Washington Hispanic Roundtable Scholarship, but was renamed in 2015 to honor the life and work of Alex Santillanes.

Eligibility

Eligibility:
Graduating senior of a high school in the Yakima Valley (A.C. Davis, East Valley, Eisenhower, West Valley, or Yakima Valley Tech)
Hispanic resident of Washington state
Seeking further education at an accredited 2-yr or 4-year college or university in Washington state