The Betancourt Scholarship Fund
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Empowering the leaders of tomorrow through the pursuit of a college degree
Yelishka Nazario
Yelishka was born in Puerto Rico and raised in the United States. Throughout middle and high school, she was enrolled in Honors classes and participated in the Cambridge AICE program.
In her Junior year of high school, she was selected to be part of the inaugural class of the CFE Credit Union and chosen to be one of two head tellers of the school’s branch. As a Senior, she became an honorary member of the National Honors Society and the Hispanic Honors Society, in addition to becoming an active member of Colonial’s TV Production.
During her final two years of high school, Yelishka balanced working two part-time jobs, caring for her younger brothers, as well as participating in extra-curricular activities, all while maintaining a high GPA in her rigorous AICE and AP courses.
Yelishka is now attending the University of Central Florida and majoring in Sociology, with a minor in History and Law. She feels passionate about social work and politics and has demonstrated her commitment to these fields by coordinating an on-campus movement to collect donations for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria struck the island. Her goal is to eventually move back to her homeland after completing her college degree and pursue a political career.
Victor Torres
Victor grew up in a Puerto Rican household in Orlando, Florida and graduated from Colonial High School with Honors in the top 10% of the class of 2018.
Through a grave misfortune of his father’s death in 2017, Victor became determined to becoming first in his family to attend college.
Victor enrolled in the Cambridge AICE program, a curriculum that emphasizes the value of broad and balanced study and got involved in the National Honors Society and Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). In his Senior year, he was also appointed President of the GSA and named “most valuable member” of the 2017-2018 Journalism team as he played a crucial role in assembling the yearbook.
Victor indeed did become first in his family to attend college and fulfilled his lifelong dream of studying art. He is currently attending University of Central Florida and majoring in Graphic Design.