By Nadia Tellez
Graduation season fills us with inspiration as we celebrate the incredible potential and talent in our community. Each year, we have the honor of watching students cross the stage, ready to embrace new adventures in college and begin their promising careers.
We recognize the road to college isn’t always easy, and for many students, the financial burden can be one of the biggest barriers standing in their way. That’s why CREEED is proud to award scholarships to some of the highest-achieving students in El Paso so they can pursue their dreams.
This year, we’re celebrating our largest scholarship class to date – 11 outstanding high school seniors across seven school districts, each receiving a scholarship through our F.A.S.T. Rising College Scholarship or the Excelencia Scholarship for Future Educators programs. Every single one of these students demonstrated their commitment to learning, community service, and extracurricular activities. We’re immensely proud to support them as they prepare to go to college in the fall.
Meet the 2026 CREEED Scholarship Class
F.A.S.T. Rising College Scholarship Recipients
Launched to empower students from rural school districts (Fabens, Anthony, San Elizario, and Tornillo ISDs), we awarded scholarships to the following exceptional students:
Zachary Dominguez – Fabens ISD
Zachary is heading to UT Austin to pursue a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering – and it’s easy to see why! He graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA, scored 1100 on the SAT, ranked #4 in his class, and completed almost 30 college-prep courses. Beyond the classroom, he served as President of the National Art Honors Society, and competed in football and track and field.
Sophia Romero – Anthony ISD
Sophia brings both academic excellence and real-world readiness to her college journey. With a 3.94 GPA and a rank of #5 in her class, she has already earned an Industry-Based Certification (IBC) – going beyond the standard high school experience to build professional skills before graduation. She is attending UTEP to pursue a degree in business and marketing.
Ricardo Puentes-Guzman – San Elizario ISD
Ricardo has his sights set on a career in law and public service, and aspires to run for Congress one day. He is heading to UT San Antonio to study political science, with an impressive head start of 60 college credit hours earned while still in high school. Ricardo served as both Student Council President and Student Body President, competed as a student-athlete, and scored 1140 on the SAT.
Darey Nunez – Tornillo ISD
Darey achieved a 4.0 GPA while enrolled in Tornillo’s early college program, completing 23 dual credit and two AP courses. In addition to his academic achievements, he served as the student class president and was a student athlete. He will study business at UTEP with the long-term goal of attending dental school and opening his own pediatric dental clinic.
Excelencia Scholarship for Future Educators Recipients
Created to help ensure El Paso’s future teachers are well-equipped to serve our community and support students with dedication to go to college to become educators, we’re awarding this scholarship to the following seven students:
Ruth Mayorga – Burnham Wood
Ruth attended Da Vinci School and plans to pursue Secondary Education at UTEP. She served as a tutor for middle school students needing support after STAAR testing, demonstrating an early commitment to helping students succeed academically.
Andrew Orona – Canutillo ISD
Andrew took full advantage of the Early College program at Northwest Early College High School, graduating ranked #16 in his class with an SAT score of 1150. This fall, he’s attending New Mexico State University to become an English teacher.
Imani Escamilla – El Paso ISD
Imani earned a 3.92 GPA and ranked #13 in her class at Bowie High School. Her talents extend well beyond academics – she received both the Crimson Scholarship and a Swimming Scholarship and will attend Hastings College to become a fine arts educator.
Yeira Lechuga – Fabens ISD
Yeira achieved a 4.0 GPA while participating in Fabens High School’s Early College program, ranking #16 in her graduating class. She was also involved in JROTC, demonstrating discipline and leadership alongside her academic achievements. Yeira will attend UTEP to pursue a degree in Elementary Education.
Matias Lopez – San Elizario ISD
Matias ranked #4 in his graduating class and earned an impressive 1300 on the SAT. Involved in cross country, JROTC, wrestling, and theatre, he brings a remarkable range of experiences to his college journey. Matias will attend UTEP to pursue a degree in fine arts education, combining his love of the arts with a passion for teaching.
Amir Torres – Ysleta ISD
Amir’s commitment to education started long before he applied for this scholarship. A participant in the YISD Teacher Prep Program, he completed more than 500 volunteer hours as a classroom aide – a remarkable dedication to his future profession. He will attend UTEP to pursue a degree in elementary education.
Chloe Gutierrez – Ysleta ISD
Chloe ranked #37 in her graduating class at Del Valle High School and participated in the YISD Teacher Prep Program, building real classroom experience before graduation. A student athlete and recipient of multiple scholarships, she’s attending UT San Antonio to pursue a degree in elementary education.
We are incredibly proud of each of these students and are excited to support them as they take the next steps toward achieving their dreams. To date, we have awarded $67,500 in scholarships to 27 students in El Paso’s public education system, and we’re committed to continuing to support our region’s brightest scholars.
If you would like to learn more about our scholarships or other CREEED initiatives, please email us at info@creeed.org.