A little over two weeks ago I had the opportunity and the pleasure to attend a ceremony where Ford's Driving Dreams Fund was going to be awarding $100,000 in scholarships to 50 Houston-area graduate students! I head out to Johnson Space Center Houston with Sandra from Hispanic Houston, which wasn't too far from South Houston. Ashley stayed behind since she wasn't feeling well. We arrived to a NASA with plenty of time before dinner and got to see the huge replica of the space shuttle, Independence, being carried by the original 905 shuttle carrier aircraft. It had been about 7-8 years since I had last been to NASA! But the best part, was seeing Ford Motor Company's Driving Dreams Fund invest in the education of the new graduates!






Ford Motor Company Fund and Houston Area Ford Dealers Award $100,000 in Scholarships



$100,000 in scholarships to be awarded to 50 senior high school students in Greater Houston to pursue higher education.



Ford Fund’s Houston investment since 2015 includes a donation of 10,000 new books, and more than $100,000 in scholarships and educational resources



The Ford Driving Dreams initiative has invested more than $3 million in educational resources for the US, Puerto Rico and Panama



HOUSTON, TX. June 7, 2017 – Ford Motor Company Fund and Houston Area Ford dealers will wrap up the end of the school year by awarding $100,000 in Ford Driving Dreams scholarships to 50 senior high school students. This marks the second time Ford Fund will help students from the Houston area pursue their academic dreams of going to college.



The scholarship awards celebration will be held this evening at the Space Center Houston, a science and space learning center and the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center. Students with their parents will hear from Alex Montoya, a motivational speaker who will encourage them to accept challenges as opportunities. Community leaders, Ford Fund representatives and Houston Ford dealers will join the celebration.



Through Ford Driving Dreams, Ford Fund provides tools and resources to guide students through school, and recently launched a new website www.FordDrivingDreams.com that features educational information for students, parents, and teachers.



“At Ford, we believe that the world is only as strong as how we help and impact the next generation. We want to make higher education accessible to every student because academic attainment will allow them to reach their dreams,” said Joe Ávila, manager, Ford Motor Company Fund. “We are happy to have the support and commitment of the Houston Area Ford dealers to help make a positive impact in the communities where they do business.”



The Ford Driving Dreams Tour was designed by Ford Motor Company Fund to help youth graduate on time and pursue higher education. Launched in 2012, the program has reached more than 100,000 students in California, Chicago, Florida, Indiana, Texas, Panama and Puerto Rico. The scholarships awarded today in Houston will be administered by LULAC National Education Services Centers, Inc. (LNESC).



“The Best in Texas Houston Area Ford dealers are very excited to be part of the educational efforts by Ford Driving Dreams to help students in our communities thrive. These scholarships will positively impact the students, and we know that by investing in their education, we are making a difference in their future,” said Larry Gach, Houston regional sales manager, Ford Motor Company.



Ford Driving Dreams initiatives, including the Tour, have delivered more than $3 million in educational resources such as scholarships, college preparedness, tutoring programs, parental engagement, and motivational activities. In the last two years, Ford Motor Company Fund has


donated 10,000 new books and awarded an additional $100,000 in scholarships to students in the Houston area. In addition to Ford Driving Dreams, Ford Fund educational programs include Ford Blue Oval Scholars, Ford Next Generation Learning, Ford College Community Challenge, and the Ford STEAM Lab. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and with #forddrivingdreams on Twitter.