Rye Neck High School senior Sofia Palacios has been awarded a Youth Awards scholarship by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. The program honors Latino high school seniors who excel in the classroom and participate in community service projects, and recognizes them for their excellence in various categories.

From more than 27,000 applications nationwide, three students were selected for each category in 10 different regions across the country. Palacios received the bronze award in a region covering Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont in the business and finance category.

According to her teachers, Palacios is a motivated, hardworking, committed and diligent student. She has received numerous awards and distinctions and excels in a course load of Advanced Placement classes. Throughout her high school career, she has developed and honed her interest in marketing and immersed herself in the field. Palacios has participated in Columbia University’s marketing summer internship program and worked as an intern at a Wall Street investment firm. She’s currently engaged in a project, in collaboration with a local cable television station and the mayor’s office, to foster positivity within the community and combat the effects of social isolation during the pandemic. Her extracurricular activities include community service projects, such as tutoring and participating in food drives.

Palacios plans on studying marketing in college and participating in community service projects with hopes of assisting lower-income individuals break language barriers. Coming from a multicultural Hispanic family, Palacios has lived in different parts of the world, learning how to speak Chinese, English, French and Spanish.

“Cultural immersion has been a major part of my life,” Palacios said. “In college, I’ll strive to continue giving back to the community, and I am excited to use my business education for the betterment of society.”

Palacios was recognized by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation during a virtual awards ceremony on Feb. 23.

Rye Neck Middle School sixth graders delivered more than 80 paper tissue flowers to first responders at the Westchester County Convention Center on Valentine’s Day. The flowers were brought to nurses, national guard members, clinicians, first responders and other volunteers who are helping in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines at the state-run site.

“The sixth graders were excited to say Happy Valentine’s Day and thank you to the volunteers who are helping to provide COVID-19 vaccines,” said Allison Reynolds, a math teacher and sixth grade adviser. “COVID has changed their lives, it has changed all of our lives, and they know that the vaccine is the greatest step towards a return to normalcy that they can ask for.”

The students have begun discussing what they can do next to continue to let the volunteers know that they are appreciated.