For A Bright Future Foundation Announces 2022 Healthcare Scholarship Award Winners, Doubles Awardees For Program's Second Year

Jaden Smith of Virginia; Alondra Santos Cruz, Kindersley Machame of California; and Victory Ladipo of Georgia join a list of high potential scholarship winners pursuing a career in healthcare

Foundation recognizes the importance of Healthcare workers in our communities through its scholarship program

MIAMI, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future, a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the needs of underrepresented and underprivileged children through education, healthcare, the arts, and youth leadership development, awarded it's Healthcare Scholarships to Jaden Smith, 17, of Virginia; Alondra Santos Cruz, 17, of California; Kindersley Machame, 18, of California, and Victory Ladipo, 17, of Georgia.

The charitable organization founded by high-performing, technology focused private equity firm, Black Dragon Capital's℠ Chairman and CEO, Louis Hernandez Jr., provides scholarships to high potential students in underserved areas focused on children of single parents, veteran families and those pursuing careers in STEAM related fields, healthcare and education.

"For A Bright Future was born from my own experience of growing up as a member of an underprivileged and underrepresented group. Access to reliable healthcare and higher education are both key factors for overcoming the marginally higher poverty and incarceration rates in underprivileged communities. I'm so inspired by the incredibly accomplished award winners this year and their desire to pursue careers in healthcare and give back to their communities. Healthcare workers value to the community has never been more clear and I'm so very pleased that these outstanding young people want to help," said Louis Hernandez Jr., Founder and Chairman of the Board, For A Bright Future Foundation.

"Access to proper healthcare and education are just two of the fundamental pillars of a healthy and productive upbringing that underprivileged and underrepresented children often lack. Reading through the applications that For A Bright Future received for the Healthcare Scholarship was awe-inspiring. Everyone had such compelling stories. Congratulations to Jaden, Alondra, Kindersley, and Victory! I have no doubts that all their hard work will eventually pay off and they will be able to make remarkable contributions to their community," said Dr. Daniel Diver, Scholarship Committee Member, For A Bright Future Foundation, and former Chief of Cardiology and Director of the Cardiovascular Service Line, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, CT.

Jaden Smith graduated from Churchland High School in Virginia and continues his education at Howard University to pursue a bachelor's degree in Surgery. His long-term career goal to become a cardiothoracic surgeon was formed through the numerous extracurricular activities and STEM-related programs he joined in high school; most notably, his experience as a student observer at Norfolk Sentara Hospital, where he received mentoring from a cardiac perfusionist and a cardiothoracic surgeon. As a STEM major, Smith believes he can take initiative and drive meaningful changes to strengthen health initiatives for the community.

"My goal in pursuing a STEM career is to help increase diversity, creativity, and innovation in STEM while simultaneously improving national statistics," says Jaden Smith.

Alondra Santos Cruz is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Pediatrics at the University of South California. As the first person in her family to go to college, she is determined to face all the challenges she encounters on the road to becoming a pediatrician and helping the people in her community. Her strong belief that healthcare needs to be affordable and accessible for everyone is her biggest motivation. She has devoted her time to learning as much as she can to become a physician by participating in different courses and programs to expand her knowledge.

"To me, being a pediatrician is about having a genuine passion to help treat and save future generations. I hope to be part of a medical movement that finds solutions to end wealth discrimination and bring affordable healthcare to all," says Alondra Santos Cruz.

Kindersley Machame will be pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Residential Care Facilities at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Nursing this fall. Machame was active in multiple extracurricular activities during high school. She participated in the CAMP Children's Hospital LA Program to gain a better understanding of the different careers in healthcare and learn fundamentals like CPR, wound care, first aid, and more. She also volunteered at Kaiser Permanente, where she was able to maximize her role by using her bilingual skills. Her goal of someday becoming a healthcare worker who can dedicate herself to saving lives and maintaining her community's health is her main source of motivation.

"I will use my education to provide resources to my community. Eventually, I plan to give back to my community by creating opportunities for other students through internships, scholarships, or just by sharing my own story," says Kindersley Machame.

Victory Ladipo is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Neurology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His fascination for biology started at a young age and, as he grew, he realized that this passion could go hand in hand with his desire to involve himself in the community. At the peak of the pandemic, Ladipo saw how much the situation had impacted his community and he quickly took the initiative. He established a chapter of the DoSomething.org organization at his school and started a food drive to help mitigate the food crisis in his community. Ladipo dreams of becoming a researcher who works with global humanitarian organizations in the future to raise awareness about neurological conditions and increase access to affordable treatments.

"In college and beyond, I hope to continue to use my voice to help my community, from volunteering to activism," says Victory Ladipo.

Every year, the foundation receives a growing number of applications to review. We would like to thank Susie Hernandez, Board Member and Chair of the Scholarship Committee, and our volunteers for serving on the scholarship selection committee.

Scholarship selection team includes:

• Dr. Daniel Diver, Former Chief of the Section of Cardiology and Director of the Cardiovascular Service Line, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center
• David Dame, Private Equity Partner, Sorenson Capital Partners
• John Gallagher, Director of Technology, Borough of Manhattan Community College
• Dr. Melissa Hernandez, Professor, Northern Arizona University

We also would like to thank the operational team led by Gina Rogoto, Director of Operations, for their incredible efforts to source candidates across the country and facilitate the process.

Contact:
Gina Rogoto, Marketing and Development Manager
Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future
Email: gmr@forabrightfuturefoundation.org

Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the needs of underrepresented and underprivileged children through education, healthcare, the arts, and youth leadership development. Our initiatives provide equal opportunity for all children to have the tools and opportunities to fulfill their life goals and become constructive members of our global community. Learn more at www.forabrightfuturefoundation.org.

To learn more or support For A Bright Future educational programs please visit our donation page at www.forabrightfuturefoundation.org/donate-today.

For more information: www.forabrightfuturefoundation.org or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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