(San Francisco—April 9, 2007) The nominators of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, funded by the Gates Millennium Scholars program, has selected Union City resident Cindy La Rosa, a senior at High Tech High School, as one of 1,000 Gates Millennium Scholars for the Class of 2007, announced Principal Karol Brancato.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund provides much more than a scholarship. It offers a wide range of resources, including mentoring services, an online resource center that gives students access to internships, fellowships, and scholarships, and the opportunity to attend leadership and other conferences.

Established in 1999 and funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gates Millennium Scholars program provides outstanding African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate education in all disciplines, as well as a graduate education for students who pursue studies in mathematics, science, engineering, education, or library science. Also, the program promotes academic excellence and provides an opportunity for thousands of outstanding students with significant financial need to reach their fullest potential.

The Gates Millennium Scholars program, available to graduating high school seniors, provides substantial scholarship awards to exceptional high school seniors for study at the college of their choice. Eligible applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale, demonstrated leadership skills, and have significant financial need.