Young Americanos @ Centro Cultural In San Diego.

Student winners of the YOUNG AMERICANOS YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION will have their works displayed beginning Friday, December 5 at the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park, located at 2125 Park Blvd in San Diego. The student photos were unveiled at a special award ceremony honoring the winners at Centro Cultural on Dec. 5.

The YOUNG AMERICANOS exhibition features the works of 95 students from throughout San Diego County whose photographs depict Latino Life in the San Diego Border Region. The photo contest was held in partnership with the Centro Cultural and area schools. Of the nearly 200 entries over 40 students will receive over $10,000 in scholarships and other prizes.

Winning the $1,000 Grand Prize cash scholarship is Elisa Lucia Hernandez, an eighth-grader from Monroe Clark Middle School. The winning photo depicts a young boy in his grandfather’s healing herb garden. Elisa’s teacher, Ms. Sandoval, says, “Elisa is a good student and will surely be motivated to stay in school.”

In all, the 43 student winners represent San Diego, Chula Vista, National City, San Ysidro and other area communities. The winning photographs will be featured at the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park from December 5 through January 25, 2004. The photographs will also be available for viewing at the award-winning website http://www.youngamericanos.net .

“These photographs are outstanding. The students have truly captured what Latino life is like in the greater border area,” said Sam Payne, district manager for Farmers Insurance. “Every student, their families and their teachers should be proud of the students’ accomplishments.”

Grand Prize Winner

Elisa Lucia Hernandez, Monroe Clark Middle School

High School Winners

Maria Aguilar, Brisa Johnson-Urdiales, Michelle Wilkerson, Angelita
Robles, Maira Flores, Danielle Marie Cervantes, Iris Melissa Hernandez, San Diego High School
Sabrina M. Martinez, Hilltop High School
Adrian Brian D. Tubongbanua, Montgomery High School
Antonio Alejandro Hernandez, Morse High School
Christina Carmen Hernandez, High Tech High School,
Heather M. York, Bonita Vista High School,
Rosario Maritza Pritchard, Castle Park High School
Blanca Jasmin Romero, Mission Bay High School
Manuel A. Ornelas, Kearny High School

Middle and Elementary School Winners

Michelle Vazquez, Ann L. Fernandez, UCSD Preuss School
Franciso V. Valdez, Rosario Tablas, Monroe Clark
Loreli G. Ornelas, St. Jude,
Michael L. Hom, Pacific Beach Middle School
Iyari Aztlan Arteaga, Language Academy
Jonathan S. Menyon, Freese Elementary
Maria C. Martinez, Gabriela Sanchez Davalos, Oscar Leyva, Brenda Rocha,
Wendy Cortez Lopez, Ismael San Juan, Luis Alonso Colin, Jaime Iyorzabal,
Miguel Plascencia, Beatriz Jauregui, Alejandro Ocampo, Alma Arreola,
Maria J. Martinez, Angel San Juan, Central Elementary

Honorable Mentions

Amanda M. Duarte, Flying Hills Elementary
Manuel Cuevas, Lauderbach
Andres Bermudez, Monica Bermudez, Rosebank Elementary,
Melissa Gazca, Central Elementary