(Contributed photo)
APTOS — George Ow Jr. and his family provided $500 scholarships to 106 high school seniors during a June ceremony at Cabrillo College.
The American Dream Scholarships have been awarded to high school seniors for 28 years.
“My parents came from China and believed in the power of education,” Ow said. “Dozens of our family members have come to Cabrillo College and we are grateful for the opportunities it has provided to us. Our family believes that the American Dream is that you can come from humble beginnings and succeed, and when you do succeed, you give back to help others.”
Since 1989, the Ow Family has awarded more than $560,000 to graduating high school students coming to Cabrillo.
Several scholarship recipients spoke at the ceremony and expressed their gratitude for the support from the Ow Family, including Edgar Mora, who graduated from Pajaro Valley High School. Mora, who immigrated from Michoacan, Mexico, overcame a language barrier to graduate in the top five of his class.
“This scholarship will help me pay for college,” Mora said. “I want to thank Mr. George Ow Jr. and the Ow Family for making the American Dream Scholarship possible.”
Among the recipients from Pajaro Valley Unified School District are seven from Aptos High School, 14 from Pajaro Valley High School, 30 from Renaissance High School and 48 from Watsonville High School.
