National Puerto Rican Day Parade Awards Largest Scholarship Pool in its History

The Board of Directors of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP) honored five leaders in Education at their annual Education Leadership Awards, which took place on May 25th at the Time Warner Center in New York City. The NPRDP also awarded 100 scholarships to college-bound students of Puerto Rican descent. The total scholarship pool awarded was $200,000, the largest in the Parade's history, which fulfills a goal the Board set back in 2014, as a result of their commitment to support academic achievement. Scholarship recipients represented 17 states and Puerto Rico.

Education Leadership Award Winners: Ms. Nitza Milagros Escalera, Esq. - Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Diversity Initiatives, Fordham University School of Law Mr. Manuel J. Fernós, Esq. - President, Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ms. Jayne Benito-Hunt - 32K 151 Principal, Lyndon Baines Johnson Elementary School Ms. Ileana P. Rodriguez, Ph.D. - SVP, Collective Leadership & Engagement, Teach for America Ms. Ruth Santiago - Bilingual Teacher PS 155 2nd grade ICT Transitional Teacher

"Education is an economic equalizer, and for that reason we set a goal to positively impact the lives of as many students as possible, over time," said Lorraine Rodríguez-Reyes, NPRDP Board Member and Co-chair of the Education Committee. "In 2014, we awarded 15 scholarships, which was triple the number of the prior year, and we have continued to multiply the number and dollar amount of scholarships every year since to 100 scholarships."

The Parade's commitment to education is profound, and the benefit to scholarship recipients goes beyond money. Since 2014, the NPRDP has hosted workshops to help build the students' command of Puerto Rican history and culture, as well as the necessary skill-sets to help them develop professionally.

The 3rd Annual NPRDP Cultural Boot Camp, a national partnership of youth, community leaders, cultural and educational institutions devoted to promoting Puerto Rican culture, took place on May 20th at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College. There, students participated in a curriculum to attain a Cultural Ambassador Certificate. To become a certified Ambassador, students had to complete a course in Puerto Rican history consisting of 7 readings and several documentaries, followed by three quizzes. After completion of the program, an ambassador is able to lead a group discussion and serve as a tutor.

The 4th Annual NPRDP professional Enrichment Day took place on May 22nd at People En Español, where students participated in a series of workshops designed to provide them with practical knowledge on subjects helpful to their professional development. These included instruction on digital and social media etiquette, resume building, formal dining etiquette, financial literacy, dressing for success and strategies for being successful in college career. These workshops enabled students to expand their professional networks and gain exposure to leaders in business and academia that can continue to provide mentorship and professional opportunities throughout their careers.