Virginia Aguilar of Kalaheo was recently awarded $1,500 through the College Scholarships for Military Children program, to assist with tuition at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Virginia is the daughter of Maj. Victor (ret.) and Priscilla Aguilar of Kalaheo.
Virginia Aguilar of Kalaheo was recently awarded $1,500 through the College Scholarships for Military Children program, to assist with tuition at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas.
Virginia is the daughter of Maj. Victor (ret.) and Priscilla Aguilar of Kalaheo. Victor Aguilar has served as the senior JROTC instructor at Waimea High School since 1995.
Five hundred students were awarded scholarships out of 7,000 students who applied at commissary locations worldwide.
The scholarship was awarded at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, one of nearly 280 commissaries operated worldwide by the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA).
Virginia, a 2003 graduate and valedictorian of Waimea High School is a sophomore at Hardin Simmons University, where she earned a 4.0 grade point average both semesters of her first year, and plays volleyball. She is majoring in computer science and business, with a minor in mathematics.
Her sister, Kristen, a 2001 graduate and summa cum laude of Waimea High School, is a senior at Hardin Simmons and is majoring in speech pathology.
The university is near some of the Aguilars’ relatives in Oklahoma.
The girls are the oldest of the Aguilars’ five children, including Christopher, a junior at Waimea High, Kevin, in eighth grade, and Kimberly, in fifth grade. All the Aguilars’ children are homeschooled until the high-school level.
Virginia is a member of the National Honor Society; JROTC; United States Achievement Academy; was named a National Hispanic Scholar; and participates in sports including volleyball, track, soccer and basketball.
DeCA started the Scholarships for Military Children Program in 2000 to award scholarships to graduating high school seniors or college students. Sons and daughters of members of the U.S. Armed Services including active duty, retirees, guard
eserves, as well as children of deceased personnel may apply. To qualify, applicants must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average, participate in voluntary school and community activities, demonstrate leadership qualities, and write an essay discussing the question “What aspect of military life has the greatest impact on you?” Manufacturers and organizations that do business with the commissary funded the scholarships with money ordinarily used for other contests and promotions.
Virginia’s scholarship was funded through the Pepsi-Cola Company.
The Fisher House Foundation administered the program through Scholarship Managers, a professional scholarship management services organization.
Fisher House is known for building military comfort homes near medical facilities.
“We’re thrilled to report that the scholarship program is an enormous success in helping military families defray the costs of education,” said Defense Commissary Agency director Maj.
Gen. Michael P. Wiedemer.
“We’re proud to be associated with a program that has awarded more than $3 million to nearly 2,000 students.” Bernard T. Cote, president of Scholarship Managers, said that students who were awarded scholarships have a cumulative GPA of 3.8.
“The key difference between the children of military personnel and the general population continues to be a higher level of maturity as displayed by the essays written by the applicants,” he said.
Check www.militaryscholar .org for more information.
