In addition to a Gates Millennium Scholar, Everett Alvarez has a Questbridge scholar

One of the things I love about covering education is how much of an education I get on a regular basis.

For instance, I've never heard of the Questbridge scholarship before. This week I found out about it, thanks to Yasmin Marquez, a Everett Alvarez senior who just became a Questbridge scholar.

A Questbridge scholarship is not as generous as a Gates Millennium scholarship (awarded this year to two North Salinas High students and another from Everett Alvarez -- see my story here) but I would not say 'no' to it. It's worth over $200,000 for four years, and it covers room and board, travel, books, with a combination of federal grants and other assistance. Students have to be matched with a top university that will accept them, and Marquez will be attending the University of Southern California.

Marquez is a first generation student. At Alvarez she earned a 4.428 GPA and has participated in  volleyball, theatre, National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation, Puente Club, Interact Club, Math and Science at Alvarez (MASA).

"Over the summer, in my community, I volunteer as a tutor for the migrant education program. Also, I participated in the CHAMACOS Youth Community Council, and I helped plan Ciclovia Salinas, totaling approximately 420 hours of service in my community.

She plans to major in Business Administration and Public Policy, and she plans to return to Salinas to help improve the community.

Love my fellow Trojans. Fight on!

Everett Alvarez teacher Jordana Henry flanked by scholarship winners Rebeca Escamilla and Yasmin Marquez