Ten Farmworker Students Receive Scholarships from Tropicana Hispanic Heritage Festival draws crowd of over 1,000
The 16th Annual Hispanic Heritage Festival drew a crowd of over 1,000 at Manatee Technical College on October 17. Tropicana awarded $50,000 in scholarships to ten farmworker students as part of PepsiCo’s 50th Anniversary 50 for 50 Give Back.
Eight photos attached.
Tropicana awarded $50,000 in scholarships to the MTI Foundation for 10 farmworker students ages 18 to 25 to attend Manatee Technical College for career preparation. Pictured from left to right are MTI Foundation director Virginia Sirocky and chairman John Ziemnicki, Tropicana finance manager Scott McGarrity, MTC Farmworker Career Development program coordinator Esperanza Gamboa, Tropicana plant manager Cliff McDerment and operations manager Juliana Parente, and Manatee Schools superintendent Dr. Diana Greene.
Juliana Parente and Scott McGarrity from Tropicana pose with Karla Medina, one of the 10 PepsiCo Foundation scholarship recipients, and her daughter.
Winners of the Tropicana-PepsiCo scholarships were (left to right) Claudio Hernandez, Esmeralda Hernandez, Daniel Munoz, Janeth Serrano, Karla Medina, Jasleen Consuegra, and Augustina Vargas. Not pictured are Karla Sereno, Veronica Benites, and Julio Cantu. All the students selected were between the ages of 18 to 25. Brother and sister Claudio and Esmeralda Hernandez, 20 and 21, said they were very excited to receive the award. Claudio will enroll in the Fire Fighter program, and Esmeralda wants to become an LPN.
Photo with check includes the students, Tropicana/PepsiCo representatives, School Board Members, Superintendent Diana Greene, MTI Foundation, and Manatee Technical College and Farmworker Career Development Program staff.
Jasleen Consuegra, one of 10 PepsiCo 50 for 50 Give Back scholarship winners, shakes hands with School Board member David Miner. Miner is also a member of the advisory committee for the Farmworker Career Development Program at Manatee Technical College.
Two of the dozen dance and music performances at the 16th Annual Hispanic Heritage Festival at Manatee Technical College. Festival sponsors included Tropicana, Publix, Walmart, Revista Variedades, Sie7e Dias, Falkner Farms, Classie Growers, MCR Health Services, Unidos Now, Radio Unidos 101.1 and MSTV.
Claudia Fajardo and Evelyn Arteaga enjoy the Hispanic Heritage Festival at Manatee Technical College. They were two of over 1,000 attendees at the annual event that showcases music and dance from many Latin American countries.
