Carpinteria High senior Ana Delgado selected to speak at Girls Inc. National Luncheon in New York
Ana Delgado. Courtesy photo.
CARPINTERIA — Girls Inc. of Carpinteria member Ana Delgado has been selected as a 2017 scholarship winner in the competitive Girls Inc. National Scholar Program. She is among nine young women around the nation to be awarded a $20,000 college scholarship and is the most recent of 20 National Scholars to come out of Girls Inc. of Carpinteria.
The Girls Inc. National Scholars Program selects outstanding young women for exemplifying the Girls Inc. mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Recipients are role models for other girls who demonstrate a commitment to achieving academically and serving their communities.
“We are beyond proud to see Ana receive this well-deserved award; a recognition that we know is just the beginning for her,” said Victoria Juarez, executive director at Girls Inc. of Carpinteria. “Ana’s courageous spirit, confidence, and drive to succeed are only a few of the many qualities that make her the role model she is for our younger girls and we know she will continue to inspire us. I’m so grateful for all our supporters who make it possible for Girls Inc. to cultivate such strong, smart, and bold young women—our future leaders—year after year.”
This year, Girls Inc. awarded 19 high school girls with scholarships for educational expenses at any accredited college or university, from a competitive pool of national applicants. Of the 19 recipients, 18-year-old Delgado is one of only nine to score the $20,000 scholarship.
Delgado and three other 2017 National Scholars have been hand-selected to speak and share their personal stories at the Girls Inc. National Luncheon in New York on March 7, which will honor former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
“I’m so humbled to be a recipient of the National Scholar award and to know I’ve reached the level of scholastic achievement and aptitude that I have always dreamed of reaching,” said Delgado. “I grew up at Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, and Girls Inc. is the reason I am who I am today. Through their programming I have blossomed into the radiant, confident and well-spoken woman that I am.”
She joins an elite club of 20 young women from Girls Inc. of Carpinteria who have been named National Scholars, including her sister Andrea Delgado, who is now in her senior year at Harvard University.
The Carpinteria affiliate currently ranks fourth out of the 85 total affiliates nationwide for the highest number of Large Lucille Miller Wright Scholarship recipients (Scholars awarded $10K or more in funding, like Delgado) to date.
A Carpinteria High School senior, Delgado joined Girls Inc. of Carpinteria when she was in kindergarten. She went on to join the first cohort of the nonprofit’s Eureka! Program, a five-year college bound program that provides girls with opportunities to develop and explore new skills, to step outside their comfort zones, and to recognize and overcome barriers to their achievement.
At 16 years old, Delgado participated in the Eureka! Program’s inaugural visit to Washington D.C., a trip she credits with giving her a powerful first taste of lobbying for a cause and putting her on a career path toward public policy.
According to Delgado, Girls Inc. was also her home away from home, especially during the toughest of times. When she was a child, her father lost his job in the recession and they lost their home. The support she received at Girls Inc. made a hard time easier and helped motivate her, in addition to outpouring support from her parents and older sister, to pursue a college degree and career of her choosing.
One of two female finalists for this year’s Junior Carpinterian of the Year, her long list of accomplishments and activities include band, water polo, choir, Muses, Junior State of America, Associated Student Body, Interact Club and more.
While she is still awaiting college acceptance letters, Delgado hopes to attend Brown University in the fall and study political science with a minor in Latin American studies or media studies.
“I don’t have a definite career in mind, but Girls Inc. has inspired my interest in women’s rights and advocating for what I believe in,” said Delgado. “I’ve made it my personal mission to be a voice for women and minorities and to remind people that we are all equal and deserving.”
Since 1993, Girls Inc. has awarded over $4.6 million in scholarships, making higher education a reality for hundreds of high school girls across the United States and Canada. Scholarships are awarded annually and are open to Girls Inc. participants in the 11th and 12th grades.
For more information about Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, please visit girlsinc-carp.org or call 805-684-6364.
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is a member of Girls Incorporated®, a nonprofit organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. With local roots dating to 1864 and national status since 1945, Girls Inc. has responded to the changing needs of girls through research-based programs and public education efforts that empower girls to understand, value, and assert their rights. We provide programs for girls 6 to 18 years old that focus on science, math, and technology; health and sexuality; economic and financial literacy; sports skills; leadership and advocacy; and media literacy. To learn more, become a volunteer or offer support, please visit www.girlsinc-carp.org/.