Rows of reporters and colorful microphones took the place of professors and board members at the Cheryl A. Epple Board Room on Tuesday, May 3.
Latin singer Larry Hernandez sat beside College President Dr. Jose Fierro and Women’s Soccer Coach Ruben Gonzalez at a press conference that took place at 1:15 p.m.
He will be the headliner for the Summer Benefit Concert at a music and sports festival taking place at Cerritos College.
The concert will take place on Saturday, July 30 from 7 to 10 p.m. and will be part of a three day festival to raise money for scholarships.
According to the singer, more than one scholarship will be handed out, which will help students complete their education goals.
The three day festival is set to take place from Friday, July 29 to July 31 where, according to a college press release, it will also include a youth soccer tournament for participants ages 6 to 18.
Older participants will also be able to compete in a separate soccer event at the parking lot of the college.
The proceeds from the three day festival will go into the scholarships.
Hernandez said that what caught his attention about the concert was the fact that it was made to give back to students in the form of a scholarship.
“We were discussing how the scholarships that have my name would be and we will continue to talk about if students will earn the scholarships based on grades[…] all of that will be discussed so these awards go to students who earn them and so that being undocumented wont be a barrier,” he said.
He continued, “The important part is that there are 1,500 undocumented students who are helping, and these students can’t get scholarships that the government hands out, the college helps them.”
The scholarship is open for any student to apply.
Fierro stated that the requirements for the scholarship are as follows:
- to have graduated from a high school near the Cerritos College area,
- have completed the orientation process,
- collaborate with professors and administration to get an education plan,
- Students must follow that plan and show progress in their college education.
“The idea is that students not only come to Cerritos College but they graduate from the college and go on to a university,” he concluded.
Hernandez, who has eight top 10 albums on the latin albums chart according to Billboard, stated that he is interested in giving back to the community.
“Honestly, this is the first time that I am involved in an event of this magnitude and I am grateful and happy with a great sense of responsibility that from now on, this event will be highly publicized through television and social media and the tickets will be going on sale.
“What we’re doing is to help students that have difficulties in accomplishing their scholastic dreams […] so I am happy that I was approached. For me to start with this college is a catapult to go to other cities and have other colleges approach me to work together to give back to the community,” he said.
The plans for this event became concrete a couple of months ago, but the idea had been present for years according to Gonzalez.
“About two or three years ago I thought about it, and I am part of the Falcon Leadership with Dr. Fierro, so he said ‘yeah, can you get him?’
“He is related to my sister in law […] finally my wife went to his house to talk about a project that they were thinking about and he was really excited about helping us.”
“Tickets is how we’re going to raise our money, we have sponsors that are coming on board […] to help costs with different things, we’re going to sell food, contacting different food booths that are interested in coming because of what Hernandez is bringing to the table,” Gonzalez confluded
