High School and SUNY Rockland Students Honored at Annual Hispanic Heritage Achievement Awards Ceremony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: October 16, 2008

CONTACT: Lisa Saunders

(845) 574 - 4244

High School and SUNY Rockland Community College Students Honored
at Annual Hispanic Heritage Achievement Awards Ceremony

Suffern, NY - The following students will be honored at the SUNY Rockland Community College Hispanic Heritage Student Achievement Awards ceremony on Monday, October 20:

RCC STUDENT HONOREES

Academic Achievement – Yaquelin Reyes, Spring Valley

Artistic Talent - Mario Cardoza, Valley Cottage

Leadership Activities - Enior Jiménez, Garnerville

Leadership Activities - María Belén Soraire, West Nyack

Personal Accomplishments - Martha Mena, Spring Valley

Personal Accomplishments - Marlén Benítez, Highland Falls

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT HONOREES

Each of the following has a minimum average of 92 and has accomplishments in one or more of the following categories:  community service, artistic talent, athletic achievement, leadership activities and/or personal accomplishments:

Kathy Guardamino - Ramapo High School

Wendell Carmona - Spring Valley High School

Alexandra Gonzalez  - Suffern High School

Margaret Iliev - North Rockland High School

The keynote speaker is Ricardo A. Aguirre, Counsel to the Secretary of State. Mr. Aguirre served a tour of duty (1977-1982) in the United States Marine Corps where he attained the rank of Sergeant. In 1984, he joined the New York City Police Department and served in the ranks of Police Officer, Detective and Sergeant-Special Assignment. During his tenure, Mr. Aguirre worked in numerous units which included the Recruitment Unit, Youth Services, Department Advocate’s Office and Intelligence Division. While working in the NYPD, he attended law school and was later admitted to the New York State Bar. As an attorney in the Dept. Advocate’s Office, he tried over 72 administrative trials. Mr. Aguirre retired after 20 years of service in 2004. He then entered private practice in Bronx County as a partner in the Law office of Codelia, Aguirre & Socorro, P.C., where he practiced civil litigation. In February 2007, Mr. Aguirre became Counsel to the Secretary of State and Director of Operations for the New York State Department of State. Ricardo Aguirre received a B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from CUNY - Herbert Lehman College in 1987 and was awarded a JD from Fordham University Law School in 1995.

Event Facts

Host: SUNY Rockland Community College

Type: Hispanic Heritage Student Achievement Awards Ceremony

Guest Speaker: Ricardo Aguirre, Counsel to the Secretary of State

Date: Monday, October 20, 2008

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Place: Cultural Arts Center Theater on the main campus in Suffern.

Admission: Free and open to the public.

More Information: Contact Josephine Tarsia, Professor, Foreign Languages, at 845-574-4170 or jtarsia@sunyrockland.edu. For more information about SUNY Rockland Community College, visit www.sunyrockland.edu

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Rockland Community College, a unit of the State University of New York, is located 25 miles northwest of NYC. The majority of its students transfer to four-year colleges, and many find immediate employment upon earning their associate's degree or certificate. The College also offers others, from preschoolers to senior citizens, the opportunity to simply learn something new. Quality education...at a price you can afford.