Hispanic Alliance for Education Honors Distinguished Scholars

The Hispanic Alliance for Education (HAE) celebrated 27 high school seniors during its 30th annual Distinguished Hispanic Scholars Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12.

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The event honored students for academic excellence, leadership and community service.

Founded in 1996, HAE has awarded more than $150,000 in scholarships. The organization is led by principals Ricardo Hernandez of Seneca Valley High School and Alicia Deeny of Richard Montgomery High School and Adriana Burgos-Ojeda, assistant principal of Montgomery Blair High School. See photos from the event.

The 2026 Distinguished Hispanic Scholars and their high schools are:

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• Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Federico Cruz Talero
• Montgomery Blair, Kristen F. Llerena
• James Hubert Blake, Hailey Corado
• Winston Churchill, Lily Chadwick
• Clarksburg, Kayla Siuce
• Damascus, Emily Sevilla
• Thomas Edison High School of Technology, José Castro Guevara
• Albert Einstein, Laurie Meza
• Gaithersburg, Kevin Alvarenga Perez
• Walter Johnson, Paul Gomes
• John F. Kennedy, Blanca Ramirez
• Col. Zadok Magruder, Valeria Osorio
• Richard Montgomery, María Elena Martin
• Northwest, Matthew Inoue-Begazo
• Northwood, Corina López Díaz
• Paint Branch, Michelle Ortiz Moscoso
• Poolesville, José Benitez
• Quince Orchard, Esther Hernández
• RICA, Ruby Chévez Martin
• Rockville, Allison Araoz
• Seneca Valley, Priscilla Espinoza Fernández
• Sherwood, María Salazar Claros
• Springbrook, Alexander Gómez-Muñoz
• Watkins Mill, Ariana Chicas
• Walt Whitman, María García Musalem
• Wheaton, Darek Rao Chuquipoma
• Thomas S. Wootton, Jasmine Rivas