Hundreds gathered Saturday night at the Brazos Center for the 20th annual Hispanic Forum Scholarship Gala, where more than 70 local high school students received about $111,000 in scholarship money.

Also honored at the gala, which featured a Great Gatsby theme, were leaders in the local Latino community, who were honored for their dedication to serving Bryan-College Station and its citizens.

Bryan-based attorney Daniel R. Hernandez was selected as the 2018 person of the year. A member of Texas A&M University’s class of 1973, he has served as Texas A&M’s associate vice chancellor for diversity and community development, and his law firm, which was established in 2012, offers student internships and youth leadership programs. He also has established a program with the Bryan school district that promotes literacy, known as ReadBy3rd.

“A child who cannot read at their grade level by third grade has an 80 percent chance of failing,” Hernandez said during his acceptance speech. “… Sixty percent of that 80 percent end up on welfare. Not a nice statistic, but that’s reality. So we’re committed to ReadBy3rd.”

Business of the year was awarded to 4.0 Cuts, owned by Ramsey and Jessica De La Cruz. The couple recently opened a barbering and cosmetology school in conjunction with their business. Since the school’s creation in 2017, it has educated dozens of area high school students and prepared them for job placement immediately upon graduating. There are three 4.0 Cuts locations in B-CS, and more than 45 students are enrolled at the barbering school.

“I’m very grateful,” Jessica De La Cruz told the crowd as she and her husband took the stage. “… I’m very appreciative. The whole reason this is happening for us is my passion for the barbering industry, helping the community grow and helping people be successful.”

Hugo Ibarra, coordinator of community engagement for Bryan ISD, was honored as the Hispanic Forum’s educator of the year. He has worked as principal and assistant principal for several Bryan schools and is credited with helping Milam Elementary School in Bryan vastly improve its state accountability rating. Ibarra has been called a “transformational leader” by his colleagues.

“What we have here in Bryan-College Station, I don’t think is normal,” Ibarra said. “We have an amazing community. I tell our educators, ‘You should see what I see in the community and hear the things I hear.’ Because we are very, very blessed to be a part of Bryan-College Station.”

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Elias “Leo” Chavarria, who has lived in Bryan most of his life, working with the Bryan school district and coaching Little League and girls’ softball teams for more than 20 years. In 2004, the city of Bryan named a Little League field after Chavarria, who accepted his award with a soft “Thank you.”

The event concluded with scholarship presentations to 71 Bryan and College Station students.

Bryan High School student Andres Reyna was chosen as student of the year. Other students nominated for the award were Daniel Hernandez and Maribel Escorza, both of Bryan Collegiate High School.

Daylan Velasquez was the recipient of the Pete Rodriguez Endowment Scholarship.

The gala also featured a dinner catered by Buppy’s Catering, a charitable live auction, music from the Mariachi Los Vikingos of Bryan High School, David Marez and feature performer Little Joe y La Familia, and an address from keynote speaker Fernando Ceballos.

“Money will bring stress into your life, but time will be your leading currency,” said Ceballos, a licensed engineer who studied at Texas A&M and was the first in his family to attend college. “You have to learn what your minutes and seconds are worth, and who deserves them. Once you figure this out, you will understand what you truly value.”

Source: The Eagle