NAGC Launches Excelencia Latina Scholarships, Celebrating Excellence in Latino Gifted Students
The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is excited to announce the creation and launch of the Excelencia Latina Scholarship, a new fund intended to recognize and celebrate public middle and high school students of Latino/Hispanic descent.
“NAGC has always been committed to advancing the development of gifted and talented children from all backgrounds and cultures, and every neighborhood in the nation,” said NAGC President Dr. Shelagh Gallagher. “Excelencia Latina is our effort to lift up and reward the outstanding achievements of Latino students, who are a growing and vibrant segment of our society. I’m grateful to Andres Melendez for his vision and leadership in creating this program, and I look forward to celebrating the first cohort of recipients at our 2024 Convention,” said Gallagher.
“I’m thrilled to see Excelencia Latina come to life,” said Andres Melendez, a long-time NAGC Parent Member from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was instrumental in creating the new scholarship fund. “This scholarship is a way of honoring the contributions and potential of Latino students, who are often overlooked and underserved in gifted education. I hope this program will inspire more Latino students to pursue their passions and dreams and to become leaders and innovators in their field,” he concluded.
Excelencia Latina Scholarships will be awarded to students of Latin/Hispanic descent who are enrolled in a public middle or high school and who meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Participate in accelerated learning opportunities,
- Exemplary achievement in academics, leadership, or creativity, or
- Winner of state or national academic competitions
Recipients will be recognized at NAGC24, which will be held in Seattle, Washington, from November 21-24, 2024. Each recipient will receive a $300 scholarship, and their parents will receive a one-year Parent Membership to NAGC.
Applications for Excelencia Latina Scholarships are open through May 31, 2024. Applicants must submit an online application form, a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor, and a personal statement describing their achievements and goals.
Those wishing to support the new Excelencia Latina Scholarship fund can donate online here.
