Incoming UA Little Rock freshman wins scholarship from Rotary Club of West Little Rock
An incoming University of Arkansas at Little Rock student has been awarded a $2,000 scholarship by the Rotary Club of West Little Rock.
Armando Arellano, a 2018 graduate of McClellan High School who plans to study history and accounting at UA Little Rock, was awarded a $1,000 per semester scholarship for the 2018-19 academic year during a Rotary Club meeting on June 13.
He was one of three local high school graduates who received a scholarship based on grades, financial need, leadership, and services to the community and/or school. The additional scholarship winners are Melissa Velazquez and Stephanie Chukwuanu. Scholarships are renewable for up to three years.
Arellano graduated seventh in his class of 164 with a 3.58 GPA. While at McClellan High School, he has been involved in Student Council, Future Business Leaders of America, and High School Scholars, as well as a member of the soccer and athletics teams where he ran a 7-minute mile.
Arellano has a form of primary autism, but he has never let this limit him. In the ninth grade, Arellano asked to be moved from the special education program at McClellan and be placed in regular classes.
“He is self-motivated, sincere, hardworking, and wants to improve himself,” said Marc Sherman, co-chairman of Rotary Club of West Little Rock Scholarship Committee. “He impressed me by his desire to teach, a noble profession, and to serve his community by educating others. Armando is both faith and family orientated and takes great pride in his Latino roots. With a desire to improve himself and the world around him, nothing will stop him from reaching his goals.”
The Rotary Club of West Little Rock, founded in 1958, has awarded more than $60,000 in scholarships through its Education and Charitable Fund to help students attend college and afford them the opportunity to continue serving their communities.
In the upper right photo, Armando Arellano (left), is pictured with fellow Rotary Club of West Little Rock scholarship winners Melissa Velazquez (center), and Stephanie Chukwuanu (right).