Citywide – Chris Carrey PAL Scholarships Recipients Receive $37,000 At Santa Monica Police Activities League Recognition Dinner

Academic dreams do come true, especially for 11 Santa Monica Police Activities League (PAL) youth who were honored with personal recognition and individual scholarship funds totaling $37,000 as presented by the Chris Carrey PAL Education Scholarships program on Monday, May 6 at the DoubleTree Suites in Santa Monica. More than 250 guests attended including scholarship recipients and their families, and the Chris Carrey PAL Education Scholarships donors.
Through a joint gift from Ed Simmons and Standard Parking and from Neil and Karen Carrey, an endowment fund has been established for the Chris Carrey PAL Education Fund. This fund provides scholarships for post-high school education expenses to a PAL member who meets required criteria, shows financial need, successfully completes an application package, and is selected by the Chris Carrey PAL Education Fund Committee. The scholarship recipients are presented annually in May at the PAL Recognition Dinner and Awards Ceremony. Now in its 17th year, more than 100 scholarships totaling $280,000 have been awarded to PAL youth.
The 11 Chris Carrey PAL Education Scholarships 2019 recipients include Erica Atkins, Jessye Bautista, Sammy Bonilla, Katalina Bravo, Nadia Cyprian, Jesse Del Rio, Claudia Espinoza, Kevin Felix-Madrigal, Cesar Gomez, Jasmine Morales, and Zaahir Shorter.
The Chris Carrey PAL Scholarship presenters included Michael Flinkman, Kiwanis Club of Santa Monica; Neil Carrey; Ed Simmons, SP Plus; Baker & Hostetler; Mary Ann and Jim Powell; Patty and Cheryl Loggings; Laurel Rosen, Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce; Lauralee Asch; Jean McNeil Wyner; Sgt. Rudy Flores; Omark Holmes. Santa Monica Travel and Tourism; Helen Albright; Erin Deviny, PAL Board of Directors; and Nancy Grass, Charlie Yen, and Deirdre Weaver, Santa Monica College.
“PAL youth work very hard on their school programs throughout the year and the the Chris Carrey PAL Education Scholarships program is a terific way to reward their academic commitment,” says Eula Fritz, Director at Santa Monica Police Activities League. “Their support allows the students with an opportunity to attend colleges and universtities that may otherwise be out of reach.”
The annual PAL Recognition ceremony also provides an chance to bestow Community Recognition awards to deserving members of the community who have had an impact on the lives of youth. This year’s award recipients were volunteers Amy Albuera and Monique Robinson.