Rye Neck Senior Hispanic Heritage Foundation Earns Bronze Award​

MAMARONECK, NY — Rye Neck High School senior Sofia Palacios was awarded a Youth Awards scholarship by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. The program honors Latino high school seniors who excel in the classroom and participate in community service projects and recognizes them for excellence in various categories.

From more than 27,000 applications nationwide, three students were selected for each category in 10 different regions across the country, school officials said.

Palacios received the bronze award during a virtual awards ceremony Feb. 23 in a region covering Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont in the business and finance category.

Her teacher said Palacios is a motivated, hardworking, committed and diligent student. She has received numerous awards and distinctions and excels in a course load of Advanced Placement classes. Throughout her high school career, she has developed and honed her interest in marketing and immersed herself in the field.

Palacios participated in Columbia University’s marketing summer internship program and worked as an intern at a Wall Street investment firm. She’s currently engaged in a project, in collaboration with a local cable television station and the mayor’s office, to foster positivity within the community and combat the effects of social isolation during the pandemic. Her extracurricular activities include community service projects, such as tutoring and participating in food drives.

Palacios plans on studying marketing in college and participating in community service projects with hopes of assisting lower-income individuals break language barriers. Coming from a multicultural Hispanic family, she has lived in different parts of the world, learning how to speak Chinese, English, French and Spanish.

“Cultural immersion has been a major part of my life,” Palacios said. “In college, I’ll strive to continue giving back to the community, and I am excited to use my business education for the betterment of society.”