Early College Senior Earns 4-Year Angels Foundation Scholarship

NEWPORT BEACH, CA —An Early College High School senior has earned an Angels Baseball Foundation scholarship they announced last week.

Paulina Enriquez was selected as an Angels Scholar and awarded a four-year college scholarship from the Angels Baseball Foundation, the school announced.

"This is a prestigious recognition that was awarded to only 24 of more than 170 students that applied," a spokesperson for Newport Mesa Unified School District says.

This is the fifth year in a row that at least one NMUSD student has received an Angels scholarship and the fourth ECHS student recipient in the past three years.

Paulina plans to major in Speech & Language Sciences at the University of California, San Diego.

The Angels Baseball Foundation has awarded four-year college scholarships to outstanding high school seniors since 2016.

The process includes Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Senior Seminar teachers nominating students based on high academic achievements, financial need, community involvement, and the desire to pursue higher education. The AVID program helps schools shift to a more equitable, student-centered approach that focuses on closing the opportunity gap to prepare all students for success in a global society.

To be eligible for the Angels Scholars Scholarships, each graduating senior must meet the following criteria:

• 3.0 unweighted grade point average
• Accepted to a 4-year higher education institution
• At least one Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or college transferable course
• 50 or more hours of community service
• At least one extracurricular and/or leadership activity

Then, there are the intangibles. ECHS Principal Dr. Dave Martinez spoke on his student who received the award.

“We are thrilled to have Paulina awarded a four-year scholarship to college. Her hard work and dedication have paid off!” Martinez said. “Thank you to the Angels Foundation for investing in our students’ future."