OCCHA to Award Scholarships at Annual Gala

BOARDMAN, Ohio – The Organizacion Civica y Cultural Hispana Americana will award $28,500 in scholarships Friday at its 44th annual fundraising gala at Antone’s Banquet Center, 8578 Market St.

OCCHA, a nonprofit organization serving the three-county area since 1972, provides social, economic, cultural and educational programs for the Hispanic community.

The gala will begin with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner, musical performances, drawings and auctions. Dance music by DJ Kenny Reyes will last until 11 p.m.

The scholarships and their recipients are:

    • Rafael Cruz III and Yissel Martinez, OCCHA Changing Lives Through Education Scholarship
    • Jared De Jesus, Dr. Clara Becerra, Memorial Scholarship
    • Brittany Rios, Cortes Family Scholarship
    • Alexis Santiago, Hispanic Health Professionals Scholarship
    • Ariana Cuevas and Jorge Vega Santos, Hispanic Teachers Scholarship
    • Ilen Velazquez, Judge Diane Vettori, Ismael Caraballo Scholarship
    • Christian Nieves and Preston Stitt, Latin American Motorcycle Association Scholarship
    • Rafael Cruz III and Yissel Martinez, Nelly Aleman-Guzman Scholarship
    • Elijah Rodriguez, Richard Pagan Scholarship
    • Tavion M. Askew, Francisco “Chico” Ocasio Memorial Scholarship
    • David Suarez, Rafael and Marta Romero Memorial Scholarship
    • Iliana Suarez, Spanish Evangelical Church Scholarship
    • Catherine Cooper and Jancarlos Lebron, Latinas United Networking Association (L.U.N.A.) Scholarship.

In addition, 16 Youngstown State University students will be awarded scholarships through the endowment funded by Shorty and Elba Navarro.

Gala planning committee members are Dr. Consuelo Méndez, Elba Navarro, Teddi Noday, Grimilda Ocasio, Olga Rivera, Rosa Tirado, Ana Torres, and Benito Velázquez, Jr.

Tickets are $50. To purchase tickets contact the planning committee at 330 822 GALA or email occhagala@gmail.com for more information.

Pictured: Gala planning committee members.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.