Students Receive Scholarships Through Ronald McDonald

SAN BERNARDINO >> Ten of San Bernardino County’s brightest high school seniors have been awarded college scholarships from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California to help reduce the financial burden of college tuition, fees and other educational expenses. The students who received the scholarships are as follows: David Friedman from Rancho Cucamonga, Los Osos High School Alondra Gonzalez from Ontario, Chaffey High School Andrea Gonzalez from Redlands, Citrus Valley High School Tanner Hanson from Apple Valley, Academy for Academic Excellence High School Jenny Luu from San Bernardino, San Gorgonio High School Maryann Morales from Etiwanda, Etiwanda High School Donovan Williams from Rancho Cucamonga, Los Osos High School Corey Elder from Victorville, University Preparatory High School Christian Fausto from Chino, Don Antonio Lugo High School Clarisse Soriano from Victorville, University Preparatory High School In total, the Chapter awarded $288,000 in scholarship funds to 94 exceptional high school seniors who reside in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Students were recently honored at an awards luncheon hosted by the McDonald’s Operators’ Association of Southern California, which took place at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. The college funds were awarded through four RMHC scholarship programs: RMHC/Hispanic American Commitment to Educational Resources, RMHC/African American Future Achievers, RMHC/Asian Pacific American Students Increasing Achievement and RMHC/Scholars. Scholarship recipients were selected based on a number of criteria including grade point average, community involvement, leadership skills, letters of recommendation and financial need. Scholarship funds are made possible through the fundraising efforts of McDonald’s Operators’ Association of Southern California, McDonald’s corporate staff, RMHC of Southern California and the global RMHC office. Since 1990, the Southern California chapter of RMHC has awarded more than $5 million in scholarship funds to more than 3,200 local students to help make their dream of a college education a reality. Local McDonald’s operators pay for all administrative costs of the Southern California scholarship program, including producing and distributing the applications and hosting the recipient recognition event. “At such a young age, these students have already overcome incredible obstacles and demonstrated a passion for and dedication to achieving their dreams,” said Vince Bryson, CEO of RMHC of Southern California. “Our goal is to provide families with the health and educational resources needed to keep their child healthy and happy. Today it is our privilege to congratulate these students for their academic achievements and wish them well as they set out toward a bright future of many more accomplishments.” For more than 30 years, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California has been dedicated to creating a community where children and their families embrace life and healing with a sense of hope, enthusiasm, courage and joy. In addition to four scholarship programs, the organization operates six Ronald McDonald Houses, Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, two Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and a Community Grants program. More information on the charity and its programs can be found at www.rmhcsc.org or on www.Facebook.com/RMHCSoCal and www.Twitter.com/RMHC_SoCal. McDonald’s Operators’ Association of Southern California is comprised of more than 600 franchised and company-owned McDonald’s restaurants in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. More information can be found at www.mcdonaldssocal.com and at www.Twitter.com/McDonalds_SoCal.