"I'm very happy to see the turnout, especially from the business community today. It's important for local businesses and local organizations to encourage the students of our great city to continue with their education and give them that necessary assistance to move forward with that so it's truly commendable to see the community come together. CC Winn High School has done an exceptional job and will continue o excel in producing great and great future busi- ness leaders that will hopefully return to their community as tonight's contributors are giving to them," added The Honorable Ramsey English-Cantú, Mayor of the City of Eagle Pass.

"Without an education nowadays you won't travel very far," said Joaquin Rodriguez of the Maverick County Hospital District, "We might have the Eagle Ford Shale Development here locally, but you never know how long that's going

to last. An education is for- ever. "

"We're presenting two scholarships today and two on Thursday," said Maverick County Treasurer Rito Valdez III, "It's very important for us to help these students to continue studying. There's a lot of future here. I see a lot of potential."

Former Eagle Pass softball standout Jesselle Perez was also on hand to

present, "It encourages kids to pursue their dreams and it lets them know that others care about their education and their future."

Perez is on the Dean's List at Our Lady of the Lake University and continues to play softball for the Saints.

"The Texas Jackson School of Geology choose a recipient from a school to receive a scholarship and because of my involvement with GeoForce four or five years ago and although I have very little input in the deci- sion-making process, I am the man on point to show up and give the award, the recipient (Marco Ramirez) has already been brought before the school board and honored there," stated CC Winn science teacher Randy Laurence of one of the biggest scholar- ships of the evening an $80,000.00 full ride to the University of Texas.