December 25, 2003


Chacon continues Abrazos and Books scholarship program

By Bea Baechle
Editor

Rigo Chacon recently retired from the grueling schedule of daily broadcast news, but his passion for supporting children will be a lifelong endeavor. The scholarship program that he started in 1991, Abrazos and Books, continues to be one of his primary community commitments.

The 17 honorees that won scholarships in 2003 attended the annual dinner in August expecting to receive a $1,000 scholarship. Despite a lower attendance at the fundraising dinner, donations were up in 2003. So the students were each awarded $2,000. The additional $1,000 bonus will be mailed this month.

Chacon received applications from schools throughout the county in 2003, but he found the numbers disappointing. Many schools did not submit any, and altogether he received only 34 applications. Considering that 17 were selected, those are pretty good odds!

Abrazos and Books encourages students to apply if they will be graduating high school seniors in Santa Clara County 2004. They must earn at least a 2.5 grade point average and be accepted to a four-year college or university. Ethnic background is not a factor in the selection process.

So if you or someone you know meets those simple requirements, turn on that computer and start drafting a detailed autobiography and an essay entitled, “How I Would Improve My Community.”

The deadline for submitting your work is May 15. The fundraising dinner honoring the winners will be held Saturday, July 31, 2004 at the Wyndham Hotel in San Jose. For more information, call (408) 274-5840 or go to www.abrazosandbooks.org