LAS VEGAS (June 13, 2024) – For the second year in a row, Credit One Bank celebrated a new batch of One For The Community Scholarship recipients. The scholarship supports Las Vegas-based students who are staying in Nevada to pursue higher education. In partnership with the Public Education Foundation, the One For The Community Scholarship debuted in 2023 with 11 college-bound graduating high school seniors. This year, as the number of applications soared, 15 students from low- to moderate-income Nevada families were honored. Each received $2,500 to apply towards their first year of school, which can be renewed for up to three additional years, bringing the total scholarship amount to $10,000.
The Public Education Foundation plays a crucial role in the partnership, assisting with the applications, interviews, selection process, and everything in between. Since 1995, the Public Education Foundation has supported local students pursuing their college and career dreams through the Scholarships Plus Program. The nonprofit partners with more than 300 organizations and individuals throughout Nevada to award more than 900 scholarships each year.
“I was ecstatic, when I learned the proposed increase in scholarships was approved,” said Lenny Chide, Community Reinvestment Officer with Credit One Bank. “The program had an incredibly strong start last year, and being able to expand our support to help more students this year is awesome. This scholarship not only supports our local students, but our local workforce as well. Knowing each student is pursuing higher education in Nevada means that we are investing in the future workforce of our local communities, and I can’t wait to see the path that each of these bright young individuals take.”
The students were recognized at a reception on Thursday, May 30 at Credit One Bank’s Las Vegas headquarters. More about each of the 15 scholarship recipients can be found below:
- Alana Gutierrez
- Alana graduated from Coronado High School with an advanced honors diploma. She is an extremely devoted and hard-working student, with 11 Advanced Placement classes and 9 honors classes under her belt in addition to participating in her school theater program. She will be attending UNLV this fall to pursue their robust nursing program.
- Andrew Moss
- Andrew graduated with an advanced honors diploma from Coronado High School. He is fluent in Japanese and was president of his school’s Japanese club. He also performed in his school’s orchestra and participated in a wide array of volunteer activities. He will be attending UNLV to pursue a degree in business management.
- Azaria Hernandez
- Azaria graduated from Amplus Academy where she was the Student Council Senior Class President, National Honor Society President, Historian and Secretary. She was the founding Vice President of her school’s Orchestra Club after their teacher left, and participated in a variety of other clubs through her school. Azaria will be pursuing a degree in psychology at UNLV.
- Beatty Gebre
- Beatty graduated from Ed W. Clark High School. She was student body treasurer, played a key role in orchestrating their senior homecoming dance, was a key member in their school’s Black Student Union, and volunteered with the international nonprofit ENGin. This fall, Beatty will attend UNLV to study computer science.
- Christian Fikre
- A graduate of Durango High School, Christian was heavily involved in Durango’s National Honor Society and already has a foot in the door at UNLV through their geoscience department. Christian will attend UNLV in pursuit of a degree in computer science.
- Dana Pham
- Dana graduated at the top of her class from Spring Valley High School, and participated in her school’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, an international program designed to further prepare students for learning and critical thinking after high school. She also volunteers with her church and participated in various roles on the Student Council. She will be pursuing accounting and finance at UNLV.
- Daniel Do
- A recent graduate of Las Vegas Academy, Daniel is an accomplished musician with seven years of trombone under his belt and experience volunteering for the 2023 CCSD Band Festival, helping set up equipment and ensuring a smooth event overall. He is attending UNLV with the dream of becoming a sound engineer through their entertainment engineering and design program.
- Eliza Ngaya
- Eliza graduated at the top of her class from Legacy High School with a variety of awards including the AP Scholar with Distinction award, Most Outstanding Guitarist award, and Most Improved Color Guard Member award. She will be pursuing nursing at UNLV, which she has been preparing for with Advanced Placement classes including AP Psychology and AP Statistics.
- Fredy Zacarias Arango
- A recent graduate from East Career and Technical Academy, Fredy graduated with an array of student marketing awards and a golf varsity letter. He also participated in the state VEX Robotics competition. Fredy worked closely with his school’s marketing and hospitality directors and was a teaching assistant. He will be pursuing a degree in business administration at UNLV this fall.
- Gisselle Delgado Velarde
- Gisselle graduated from Legacy High School at the top of her class and participated in a multitude of clubs and extra-curricular activities, including National Honor Society, Student Council, and Legacy Key Club. Gisselle will be attending UNR this fall to pursue a degree in electrical engineering with the goal of creating innovative solutions to improve her community.
- Hunter Kizerian
- Hunter joins us from Shadow Ridge High School, where he graduated with advanced honors and participated in his school’s Student Council and AFJROTC. Outside of his schoolwork, he was also an Eagle Scout, and was the 2022 Nevada Bow Hunters Association shooter of the year. He will join the civil engineering program at the UNR.
- John Kunelis-Mezzetti
- John graduated with advanced honors from Silverado High School. He was part of Silverado’s Varsity Baseball team, tutored students and worked on a multitude of local community events. John will be attending UNLV.
- Karen Hernandez
- A graduate of Southwest Career and Technical Academy, Karen was a varsity soccer athlete, and volunteered at the Nevada Reader volunteer and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Outside of her academic life she is also a Certified Nursing Assistant, a title she earned after completing 20 hours of clinical experience with the Nevada State Veterans Home. She will pursue a nursing degree at UNLV.
- Laiba Ubaid
- Laiba graduated from Valley High School, where she was an International Baccalaureate student, an active Key Club member, and a member of the Valley Vikings Scholars Club. She is fluent in English, Hindi and Urdu, and volunteered at Project 150 after school. She will attend UNLV in pursuit of a degree in either biology or mechanical engineering.
- Nghi Le
- A graduate of Durango High School, Nghi was part of the Student Council and the Speech and Debate Club. She was also president of the National Honor Society at Durango, and completed over 100 hours of community service. Nghi will be attending UNLV to study business administration.
“Coming back and working with Credit One Bank on the One For The Community Scholarships is an incredible privilege,” said Kirsten Searer, President of the Public Education Foundation. “We are grateful to have community partners who are so committed to giving back. Not only have they continued their program, but they have expanded it to help more local students than they did last year. This support is crucial for many of these students, and we are excited to continue our wonderful partnership with Credit One Bank.”
Hi-res photo and video can be found here
# # #
About the Public Education Foundation
The Public Education Foundation (PEF) unites the community to inspire support of our public schools. In partnership with the Clark County School District (CCSD), PEF helps guide effective investments in education to meet the immediate, critical needs of our students, families, and educators. For more information about PEF, please visit thepef.org. Follow us on Facebook @ThePublicEducationFoundation and Twitter @ThePEFtoday.
About Credit One Bank
Credit One Bank is a financial services company and one of the fastest-growing credit card issuers in the U.S. Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Las Vegas, Credit One Bank offers a full spectrum of credit card products including cash back and points-based cards as well as high-yield certificate of deposit and savings accounts. Credit One Bank is also an official partner of the Las Vegas Raiders and the Official Credit Card of NASCAR, the Vegas Golden Knights and Best Friends Animal Society. Learn more at CreditOneBank.com, in our Newsroom, or on social media (@CreditOneBank) on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Contact Information
Terri Maruca | Gage Morgan
Kirvin Doak Communications
702.737.3100
