University of Central Missouri: Chavez Scholarship 20th Anniversary Celebration Honors Four Students, Former UCM President Patton

A 20-year relationship that has resulted in more than $400,000 in scholarships for Kansas City area students to attend the University of Central Missouri was celebrated on April 8 at the Holter Center at the Villa Guadalupe Campus on East Truman Road. While the anniversary event recognized individuals who contributed to the longstanding partnership, four area students were honored as 2023 recipients of Cesar E. Chavez Scholarships.

Previously a $12,500 award, UCM President Roger Best announced that the scholarship was increasing to $15,000 this year. He spoke about the award shortly before presenting a proclamation to UCM’s 13th President, Bobby R. Patton, in recognition of his efforts to make these awards possible. Joe Arce, publisher of KC Hispanic News and an instrumental leader in this scholarship initiative, joined Best in recognizing the former UCM leader.

Best said Patton came to Arce and other individuals within the Hispanic and Latino community on behalf of UCM in 2013 to ask the question, “How can we serve you?” The response, according to Arce, was to “invest in our community.”

Following many discussions, a scholarship committee was formed, which Arce chairs, and the first award, a $10,000 scholarship, was presented during the Cesar Chavez Festival at the Guadalupe Center on April 24, 2004. The scholarship has continued to grow since that initial award, and more students have been honored annually.

“It has been an amazing scholarship for a lot of these students who might not have had the opportunity to go on to a higher education had it not been for this particular scholarship,” Arce said.

Announced by scholarship committee member, Eduardo Mendez, area high school seniors receiving 2023 scholarships are: Jennifer Borbonio Cruz, Guadalupe Centers High School, Kansas City, Missouri; Javier Hernandez Vantuyl, Lee’s Summit West High School, Lee’s Summit, Missouri; Johan Prado-Zavala, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, Kansas City, Missouri; and Zach Grace, Kearney High School, Kearney, Missouri.

While there are scholarship requirements such as academic criteria that must be met by recipients, the award is open to individuals who are of Hispanic or Latino descent or who demonstrate involvement in the Hispanic or Latino communities. Eligibility extends to students from the Kansas City area that include Cass, Clay , Jackson, Johnson and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson, Leavenworth, and Wyandotte counties in Kansas.

During the scholarship selection process, applicants were asked to include information about activities in which they have participated and to write a brief essay, based on the following quote from Cesar Chavez and what it means to them: “The end of all education should surely be service to others.”

Jennifer Cruz, who hopes to someday work as a commercial pilot, commented, “I’ve always been service oriented growing up. My parents grew up struggling and so did I, so I know how important it is to give back. They want me to grow up to be wealthy, but I’ve taken every opportunity that comes my way to make a change. Why be wealthy and not make a change for others.”

Demonstrating her thoughtfulness, leadership, and passion for making a difference in her community, in August 2021 Cruz got involved as a student intern at the Startland Foundation in Kansas City. In this capacity, she partnered with teachers to create a Community Leadership class that allowed students to choose a topic that would give them a voice into their school or community. This led to student projects such as a successful job fair, a mental health campaign and more.

While attending high school at the Guadalupe Centers, she was involved in the Student Council. In 2020, while the school was engaged in virtual learning, she was part of an initial group that was committed to continuing service at her school and in the community. She also helped organize a drive-up voter registration initiative to register students, families, and community members to participate in the 2020 election. One of her projects in that effort included creating her own poster, which she used at a Kansas City location to direct cars to the school for voter registration.

Since July 2022, Cruz has served as a resident assistant at Cedarhurst of Blue Springs, a care facility in Kansas City for individuals who need assistance with daily living activities. She also serves part-time as wrestling team manager, and has previous working experience as a merchandise associate at Worlds of Fun.

Johan Prado-Zavala shares a similar goal to Cruz, hoping to use his college education to pursue a career in the aviation industry. His goal is to serve in a non-profit capacity to provide humanitarian aid, environmental monitoring, or disaster response. Grateful for scholarship funds that will help make this dream possible, he offered his thoughts on Chavez’s comment on education and service.

“Looking forward, I plan to continue to live out Mr. Chavez’s philosophy by using my skills and education throughout my life to help others,” he wrote in his essay. “I believe everyone is responsible for using their education and talent to make the world a better place. Whether it’s through volunteering, pursuing a career in service, or simply volunteering for our community, we can all make a difference.”

Prado-Zavala has given back to his community by helping with activities such as the management of an adolescent soccer club, and working with his teacher to raise money for Harvesters. He has also served as a tutor for the Police Athletic League, where he helped tutor children on their homework and provided supervision for kids during gym activities. Additionally, he demonstrated his leadership and motivational abilities by managing a girls’ soccer team.

Focused on a technology career, Javier Hernandez Vantuyl noted that his parents have set a strong example about the value of hard work, and helping others around him.

In his essay responding to Chavez’s quote, he wrote, “This statement actually resonates very strongly with me. My father is an immigrant from Veracruz, Mexico and knows the American dream is not given but earned. He went to school to be a veterinarian in Mexico and volunteered in college at some remote villages. He was offered a job as a landscaper in Kansas when he met my mother, who was an ELL instructor for a company that brought him here.”

“Like my parents, I was raised to work for everything I have, and to help those around me,” Vantuyl said.

From a young age working with his twin brother helping to serve as a voice and advocate for him when he was learning to speak, to eventually helping elementary school students who struggle in school, Vantuyl has demonstrated a commitment to others. Since his days as a middle school student he has considered the tech field his calling and has participated in activities related to robotics and the Cyber Patriot program in which he serves
as team captain. Following the encouragement of one his program coaches, he enrolled in the Missouri Innovation Campus academic program and got accepted his sophomore year. This has enabled him to serve in a paid internship in cybersecurity at Lead Bank since June 2022, while also taking dual credit courses which will help accelerate his time to degree completion.

In addition to his coursework, Vantuyl has been involved in activities that include serving as an MIC ambassador, member of the Missouri Math League, Spanish Club and Kitty City volunteer. He has participated in the IT Capture the Flag – Ethical Hacking competition and was a volunteer at the Fiesta Hispana KC and at El Dia de Los Muertos – Guadalupe Center.

In his essay, Zach Grace noted the obstacles his great-grandparents faced and the sacrifices they made moving from Puerto Rico to New York City and eventually to Los Angeles.

“There were a lot of challenges for them to face, one of them being racism and being in a minority community,” he wrote, “But this family rose above all that and made a difference in the world by showing that excellence is about determination and character.”

He hopes to pursue a business degree at UCM, then serve in the military and eventually return home where he can start a gymnasium to carry on a tradition of coaching and helping others succeed and improve their lives. Grace has demonstrated his leadership skills as president of his high school class for two years, and was the captain of the football team. He has helped lead teams on the football field and in track to four conference titles, three district titles, a top-three finish in 2021 and a team championship in 2022. His passion for fitness has also earned him numerous awards, including being a four-time All-American Discuss Thrower and a three-time participant in the hurdles at the National Track Meet. He is a state powerlifting champion and a two-time All-State Discuss Thrower, and an All-Conference, All- District, All-State Football player.

Circling back to the values of service and education that Chavez advocated, Grace noted, “I will use what I learn at UCM to train and build people up. Helping others is a long family tradition. I will do everything I can to live up to that tradition.”

A number of individuals contributed to a morning that honored Chavez’s legacy, student award winners, and the celebration of this important anniversary dedicated to helping students achieve their higher education goals. Sonny Castro, a member of the Cesar Chavez Scholarships Committee, served as master of ceremonies; Beto Lopez, chief executive officer for Guadalupe Centers, Inc., provided the welcome; Gene T. Chavez, historian in residence at the Kansas City Museum, spoke about the “Life and Legacy of Cesar E. Chavez”; Cruz Coronado Escareno, a third-grade student at the Guadalupe Center, presented his rendition of Chavez; and there was a presentation that took place on behalf of Manny Abarca, First District Jackson County legislator, which
honored the scholarship program.