Press Release

NAHJ-Denver Names First Scholarship Recipient

Congratulations goes out to Ashleigh Schmidt-Vigil of Elizabeth High School in Elizabeth, Colorado. Schmidt-Vigil will be the first recipient of a scholarship from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists' Denver chapter in partnership with the Hispanic Annual Salute (HAS).

Since 1980, the Hispanic Annual Salute (HAS) has strived to honor outstanding adult and student volunteers, as well as community service organizations who dedicate their time and efforts to the Hispanic community.

Ashleigh will receive her honor and a $2,000 scholarship at HAS's annual scholarship dinner on Feb. 17, 2007 at the Hyatt Convention Center hotel in downtown Denver.

The Denver Chapter of NAHJ raised funds along with a large donation from KUSA 9News.

HAS stresses community service to the Hispanic community as much as it does class achievement (minimum GPA to apply is 2.5). Schmidt-Vigil carries a 3.5 GPA and has volunteered hundreds of hours that include building a house with her church group for a family and a church in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico; feeding homeless people at the Denver Rescue Mission over a period of two years; and serving as a reading coach at Running Creek Elementary School for Hispanic children who need literacy help.

In her answer to an essay question asked in the scholarship application, "If you were writing a story about the Hispanic community, what would you write about?" Schmidt-Vigil responded:

"I would write about the impact that Hispanics have had on the United States and show their many accomplishments, which go unnoticed many times. So many times during school we study the cultures of many different heritages, but the Latino culture goes without acknowledgement. My story would emphasize the ways that Hispanics have improved our society, and the world around us."

NAHJ-Denver is entering its second year as a chapter organization. The current chapter president is Fernando Quintero, staff writer at the Rocky Mountain News. Other board members include representatives from Denver-area news organizations, college journalism students and a journalism advisor from the University of Colorado's School of Journalism.

Denver-based officers elected to the national organization's board are NAHJ Region 7 Director Elizabeth Aguilera, a staff writer at The Denver Post; and Vice President-Print Board Member Cindy Rodriguez, a columnist at The Denver Post.

Other professional chapters have been started in Orlando, Fla.; Charlotte, N.C.; Southwest Florida, Oklahoma, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and North Carolina. NAHJ's first student chapter is located at Brooklyn College. These chapters serve as a local resource for NAHJ, the largest Hispanic journalism organization in the United States. Members are encouraged to work with local chapters to create networking and professional development opportunities as well as other activities.