Cerritos College Foundation

NORWALK, Calif. – November 19, 2008 –The Cerritos College Foundation awarded the first-ever John Moore First Step Scholarship to Karen Photo of John Moore and scholarship recipient, Karen Olvera. Olvera, of Pico Rivera, at it’s board meeting on Thursday, November 13.

The John Moore First Step Scholarship was established by John Moore, a now-retired 19-year member of the Cerritos College Board of Trustees.

Moore grew up in south central Los Angeles and never imagined that he would go to college. He was lucky enough to be the recipient of a scholarship right out of high school that gave him the boost he needed.

According to Moore, he established the First Step Scholarship to give others the opportunity he received and to help first semester college students, like him, who show the promise of succeeding.

Olvera demonstrated the promise Moore was looking for in a recipient. She graduated from El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera in June with a GPA of 3.8. She was raised by a single father and wants to major in business and technology so that she can, one day, get a great job and pay her father back for all of his hard work.

“I never thought I could get this scholarship,” Olvera said Thursday. “I want to help him [her father] out.”

To be eligible for the $500 scholarship, students need to have a high school GPA of 2.5 or higher and have less than a one year gap between high school graduation and their first semester at Cerritos College.

The Cerritos College Foundation, a non-profit organization, serves as a charitable vehicle for the community, individuals and alumni, to assist with financial support of Cerritos College. Visit the Foundation online at www.cerritos.edu/ccf.

Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently surpasses 24,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu.

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