GI Forum scholarships awarded

The American GI Forum in Omaha has awarded $22,000 in college scholarships to 36 area students.

That brings the amount distributed in the past five years to more than $100,000.

Local officials didn’t know offhand the total awarded during the organization’s history, but the local scholarship program dates to at least 1966.

That’s when Seturnino “Nino” Franco received a $100 scholarship to pursue his degree in civil engineering at the University of Nebraska campus in Lincoln.

Franco, now retired, was surprised at the annual scholarship banquet Monday with a “lifetime achievement award” for his continued work with the chapter.

The Omaha chapter of the American GI Forum, 2002 N St., is part of a national network founded to support Mexican-American veterans. The local club has evolved into a service organization with a restaurant.

Other speakers at the event included Mayor Jim Suttle, City Councilman Garry Gernandt, and Sagrario “Charo” Rangel and Sasha Chavez, both of the Omaha Public Schools.

Susan Mayberger, director of the OPS English as a Second Language program, received an excellence in education award.

This year’s scholarship recipients:

Jourdan Madrigal, Jackie Chavez, Christina Soto, Kristina Palmisano, Adam Reynolds, Allison Martinez, Jerica Gonzalez Kuncl, Hector Santiago, Veronica Ramos, Kenny Sibrian, Patricia Mayorga, Jacqueline Martinez, Andrea Enlow, Jose Ruth, Emily Martinez, Mariana Estrada, Dylan White, Taja West, Grace Martinez, Cassandra Foral, Leslie Espino, Anayeli Martinez Real, Rebecca Martinez, Isabel Benjamin-Alvarado, Alex Palma, Maria Martinez, Jessica Vazquez, Maria Fonceca, Pablo Roman, Celia Remijio, Anna Berlett, Alyssia Salvo, Heather Reynolds, Gelen Navejas, Justin Fitton, Amanda Vanderpool.

Contact the writer:

444-1224, cindy.gonzalez@owh.com

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