Three scholars from Royal awarded $20,000

ROYAL CITY - Royal High School seniors Abraham Guadarrama, Laura Bautista and Magarita Rodriguez-Figueroa have been chosen Dell Scholarship finalists and have been awarded $20,000 each toward a college education.

"We've never had three before. It's unheard-of," Royal High counselor Marge Edwards said. "It's an accomplishment for any school in Washington."

The announcement was particularly exciting for Bautista. A 3.96-GPA student with two years of college, she had been turned down in another scholarship race.

"I was definitely surprised, just when I thought things weren't going my way," she said. 

The Dell announcement, which included a laptop and printer for each scholar, came on the heels of another scholarship for Bautista. The University of Washington, where she plans to study, awarded her $40,000 in recent days.

"They're going to give me $10,000 a year," she said.

Bautista will need it. She plans to take the UW pre-med course and hopes to be accepted by the UW School of Medicine.

"I'm really happy," she said. 

This is the first scholarship for Rodriguez-Figueroa, a 3.80 student. She has applied for others and is hoping for more.

"I was really surprised to get this one," she said. "It's very exciting."

Rodriguez-Figueroa plans to attend the Eastern Washington University. She hopes to pursue a career in dental or social work.

"I like them both. I haven't been able to make up my mind," she said.

For Guadarrama, the $20,000 from Dell added to a haul he's been building. He already has $10,000 from the Coca-Cola Foundation, $5,000 from the Horatio Alger Scholarship, $500 from the Alexander Hamilton Scholarship and $500 from the Pearl Hill Memorial Scholarship.

Guadarrama is a higly-rated student and was recently inducted into the National Society of High School Scholars. For two years he  has been the heart of the highly successful Royal High robotics competition team.

Guadarrama plans to attend the UW. He plans to study toward some type of career in medicine.

The Dell Scholars Program is an initiative of the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. It provides students with resources and mentoring beyond initial financial assistance to keep them on track toward a degree.

The Dell Scholars Program recognizes academic potential and determination in students who have a need for financial assistance. They don't have to have the highest grades in their class.