Alex O. Santillanes Scholarship

The Alex O. Santillanes Scholarship honors Alex O. Santillanes, who worked tirelessly to create a positive future for the youth of the Yakima Valley through gang outreach, student guidance, community organizing, and establishing a local chapter of Barrios Unidos. This scholarship supports graduating Hispanic high school seniors from the Yakima Valley who are pursuing higher education in Washington state. The scholarship was originally established as the Washington Hispanic Roundtable Scholarship but was renamed in 2015 to honor the life and work of Alex Santillanes. Special consideration is given to students affected by a history of cultural, social, and economic inequities, particularly those who have resided in a single parent family or whose parents did not complete high school. Applicants must be graduating seniors from specific Yakima Valley high schools (A.C. Davis, East Valley, Eisenhower, West Valley, or Yakima Valley Tech), be Hispanic residents of Washington state, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0, and plan to attend an accredited 2-year or 4-year college or university in Washington state. The scholarship aims to empower students from underserved communities to pursue higher education and create positive futures.